Schattenspiel
by Loving Companion Cube
Summary: Alternative version of the Prince ending in the game VtM:Bloodlines. LaCroix survives and his position as prince is weaker than ever, as not only the Anarchs conspired against him. Complete overhaul by Ivy.
1. Prologue

**Inspired by Damokles and his/her fiction _Falling Free_. The Prince LaCroix ending was definitely not satisfying, but here is another version that would also fit LaCroix in my opinion (and the fans of him).**

**Leap of faith-crêpe dedicated to Charlotte and The Vampire Apple.**

**I just own my character, the rest is White Wolf'****s property, etc.**

**Corrected and revised by Vivienne S. Thank you very much!**

**If you stop reading the story at some point, I would really appreciate if you let me know the reasons so that I can improve my writing.****  
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**_'Was this the last and final lesson in Jyhad for beginners, Jack?'_ I asked myself as the sarcophagus' heavy lid slowly opened and revealed to us what was inside. I heard him scream.

"No! It can't be! Nooooo!"

What now my Prince? I hear the beeping, our last seconds, or not? No! We struggled so hard. **I** struggled so hard. There is time. I remember what you've told me, my ivory Prince. Often a foe was certain to have dealt the finishing blow to a Ventrue, only to realise his own Final Death as the Ventrue smiled like you smile now. I look into your eyes. _'Yes, I understand_._'_ I follow you, using vitae to gain more celerity as we both dash to the windows, our leap of hope and the explosion pressing into my back. Hopefully there is no batshit crazy Malkavian at the bottom who thinks we are some sort of crêpe. Only seconds and I can feel the burning heat biting into my back. Gnawing into my dead flesh. _"Fortitude is important_,_"_ you said to me once, and I followed your advice but a sarcophagus full of C4 is more than a bullet.

Sound of cracking bones and the smell of blood. I feel nothing but pain everywhere in every fiber of my dead flesh, then darkness. Where are you, my Prince? Are we still alive? _"Don't open it!"_ they said. Bastards! They knew it. They knew it all and yet they weren't specific. They used me..._us_.

My eyelids flicker and as I'm able to see again it was Gehenna. Burning debris falling from the sky. Ahh...I remember. Not Gehenna but it burned. The Venture Tower, an empire. Still, my body was burning and as I move my arm it makes an unhealthy cracking sound. Of course. It's broken. Broken like every damn bone in this corpse seems to be shattered into pieces. As the blood heals my wounds I turn my head to the left. There lies the struggling Prince. Why do I pity him? He's staked by a metal bar, his left arm partially burned and his legs lying at a normally impossible angle. He doesn't move and a sudden fear runs down my broken spine, but why? You were bossy to me, my mad Prince. You called a blood hunt upon me as if I was no more than a mere toy which can be tossed away. Maybe you were happy without me and I will surely never hear from you, _"I'm sorry_._"_ Blame it on my humanity. I clung after it. I still do, and you?

We're lying on a lower roof of the Venture Tower, the smell of fire and burned flesh around us as I can move again and crawl to you, my fallen Prince. It feels like I'm crawling through an endless road as I finally reach you and lay my head on your upper body. You don't laugh, just stare into the burning red sky with your dead grey eyes. Those dead, cold, arrogant eyes as my hand reaches for the metal bar staked in your chest. Why am I doing this? Why don't I just let you die?

The bloody metal bar makes a loud, clear sound as I let it fall. _'You look like shit_._'_ But still, my dearest Prince, you're proud and even now the black burned skin on your face doesn't let this dignity fade away. Gently I brush a streak of your blond, sandy hair away, now leaning over you.

"This is your Waterloo..." I whisper, my arms cradling him like a mother would cradle her child. The Beast wants his blood but I don't. Why do I still live? Because you let me, because I'm your protégé. They tried to separate us. The Anarchs, the Kuei-Jin. Where is the evidence that you are responsible for Grout's death? Where is the evidence that you allied with the Kuei-Jin? Yes, you're right. They lied. They lied! But we will smile at the end, right my step-sire? My benefactor. We will rule this city together, they will see.

My lips touch his ear. The love you never gave me, I'll give you now. "Here's a lullaby to close your eyes...goodbye..." I whisper, seeing fear in his grey eyes. My silly Prince, no need to be afraid. We will stay together forever and I kiss his pale, still intact lips.

"Goodbye..."

I lift his head a bit, taking my lips away and exposing my bare throat to his mouth and pushing it forcefully against his fangs._ 'Drink,'_ I plead. My last present, my payback. I was as good as dead anyway but I won't fade away silently. Not without payback for those damn Anarchs. _'Show them. That their plan failed, my Prince.'_ This will be my retribution, and LaCroix begins to drain me of my last vitae. The essence of life fading from me into him, feeling how he takes more and more as my blood heals his wounds. Cold, so cold but I know he will carry on my last will. My ivory Prince, we share the same blood.

"I have shown you great clemency..." My words nothing more than a silent whisper in the wind.

"...prove it was more than a wasted gesture." The last image I see is my proud Prince, smiling down upon me. No burn marks on his face, just pale white skin in the light of the fire above us like the image of an avenging devil.

_Goodbye._

Then everything was silent. My body was floating, nothing more than darkness.

_Goodbye._


	2. A gentle reminder

**Following sources of lore were ruthlessly raped, raided and plundered for information:**

**Vampire – The Masquerade Player's Guide revised**

**Vampire – The Masquerade Clanbook Ventrue**

**Vampire – The Masquerade Diablerie**

**Vampire – The Masquerade The Prince's Primer**

**Vampire – The Masquerade Guide to the Camarilla**

**Vampire – The Masquerade Guide to the Sabbat**

**Vampire – The Masquerade The Anarch Cookbook**

**Vampire – The Masquerade L.A. by Night**

**Vampire – The Masquerade Counsel of Primogen**

**Vampire – The Masquerade Time of Judgment - Gehenna

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**

This was disastrous, a first-class scandal but Maximillian Strauss had seen all of that coming. The growing insanity of their Prince, his lust and craving for power. Silly Ventrue! What a pity that the promising neonate had to die alongside the misguided Camarilla Prince.

The Tremere Primogen warned her that the Prince was consumed by the Beast's lust for power, but she didn't pay attention to the warning message of his. So the struggle for the sarcophagus' power ended in this night for good. Not quite what Strauss wished for but better a horror with an end than a horror without one. The proud and tall Venture Tower which reached for the sky burned like the ancient biblical Tower of Babel. A sacrilege of mankind to become godlike. _'No.' _Strauss shook his bald head. _'Has LaCroix brought Gehenna upon us all?' _Keeping those explosive words only to himself. The Camarilla doesn't believe in Gehenna, the myth of Caine and _The_ _Book of Nod_. He glanced over the assembled Kindred community of Los Angeles, stopping at the Anarch faction who were in quite a good and cheerful mood for such an apocalyptic sign. Almost too good for Strauss' taste. Word of the fallen Prince and the tower was spreading like a fire in a library around the Kindred, and of course this was a victory for the Anarch movement.

The Tremere let out a long-drawn sigh and raised his voice.

"I think there is no need to explain the cause of this gathering tonight."

Now everybody in the theatre was listening as Strauss walked onto the stage. Exactly the same stage where LaCroix liked to execute his beheadings like an old French drama queen. Old dead French drama queen.

"The news of the recent events is quite omnipresent, but still I have to announce to you all formally, that Prince Sebastian LaCroix is..."

"...quite uninformed about this obviously important meeting."

A voice with a British accent echoed from somewhere along the side of the stage, and everyone turned their heads to the possible source of it. Not only did the Anarchs look surprised, everyone else was also totally caught off guard.

"So please explain to me at last, Mr. Strauss. What is the meaning of this gathering?"

Now walking slowly onto the stage, Prince LaCroix stared with a dark expression at the Primogen like a predator which found a suitable prey.

Mumblings, astonished and shocked, went through the audience. There the Prince walked. Quite alive and not dead like everyone, especially the Anarchs had said. Even Strauss stared in complete disbelief. The explosion was right at the level of LaCroix's penthouse and all sources confirmed that he was in there! It was impossible to survive such an inferno, even for a Kindred and yet this very dead Prince stood right before them all, smiling triumphantly and enjoying their shocked faces.

As usual LaCroix was perfectly dressed and combed, wearing a shining and expensive dark blue suit with a tie. Not even a grain of dust anywhere or burn marks whatsoever. Unusual were the fabric gloves on his hands but well, in light of the recent events the fashion of the Ventrue didn't bother Strauss at all. The Prince looked the same as usual with his blond hair in the style of the XIX century and even smelled the same. Not like a burned corpse. Only the usual decent scent of expensive French cologne, which was followed by that of his huge and bulky Sheriff.

"Since Mr. Strauss has lost his voice," he gave him an amused smirk, "I use this opportunity to inform you all that the case of the Ankaran Sarcophagus will trouble this community no more. The rumours about Gehenna were of course false ones." He glanced to the assembled Anarchs and chuckled silently to himself. "It was nothing more than a childish mockery. A foolish attempt to weaken the influence of the Camarilla." Now he directly addressed the Anarchs, explicitly Smiling Jack.

"But I do not seek retribution, because it was also the Kuei-Jin's fault that we all believed in those rumours. They wanted us in an open struggle, and nearly succeeded so that they were the laughing third faction, making it easy to deal with the weakened victor."

It was a smooth and political speech. Strauss just stood there, listening. Was that really LaCroix there? He never doubted that the Ventrue was a fool in his pursuit for power but something seemed different now. He felt...uncomfortable in his presence.

"Bullshit! You hypocritical French euro-ass!" shouted the Anarch leader Nines Rodriguez, jumping out of his seat and pointing at LaCroix. "It was you who called a blood hunt on me and the kid!"

"And yet again," sounding mildly annoyed and rolling his eyes, LaCroix sighed. "If Mr. Rodriguez would let me finish. As I said before: It was all a trickery of the Kuei-Jin, trying to tear the Kindred community apart so that we would engage in an open war." He prowled across the stage with a dramatic gesture, raising his fist. "But I have dealt with those demons. Their leader Ming-Xiao has been defeated by the most worthy asset to my organisation."

"What?" At last finding his voice thanks to the rude interruption of Nines once again, Maximillian Strauss spoke. "Ming-Xiao is dead?"

"As I stand here right before all of you, this demon witch is dead and we should strike now! Swift and fast! We can purge this city of them once and for all!" This was something he had to give LaCroix credit for, Strauss thought. He was able to make a damn good speech when it came to things like war. Probably Napoleon's influence and of course: he was a Ventrue and Strauss could feel the heavy use of LaCroix's mere presence to influence them all, but he could easily shake off the awe as an old Primogen unlike the younger ones. Oh yes and Mr. Rodriguez.

"You just want us as your cannon fodder, LaCroix! Do you really think we are now your toy soldiers, you poor Napoleon wannabe?" Obviously Nines was pretty much on fire, but the words of the Prince had some impact as another Anarch whispered something in Nines' ear and LaCroix smiled.

"Of course not, Mr. Rodriguez," he replied, absolutely untouched by the insult. "I call upon all Kindred in this community, not a certain faction. Anarch or Camarilla Kindred shouldn't count in such times of opportunity. We must all assure the safety of our kind regardless of what ways we believe."

Strauss was now officially confused. What happened in the tower? If there was really an ancient vampire in the sarcophagus and LaCroix devoured him, there would certainly be some clues about this. Not only a slight uncomfortable feeling but black veins in his aura and as of now, no one accused the Prince of the crime of Amaranth. But on the other hand: maybe the Prince was devoured? This was a possibility Strauss had heard of. There were rumours that their founder Tremere himself was the victim of such a happening. That the victim devoured him instead of him devouring it.

"So, everyone who knows what is right can follow the Sheriff to the Kuei-Jin hideout and crush their last weakened forces. If you'll excuse me, I have some more business to attend to." What this business was wasn't hard to imagine: cleaning up the tower mess.

"Good evening," the Prince bid them and left the theatre stage, just to be followed by Strauss.

"Prince LaCroix, one second if you'll excuse me."

"Yes, Mr. Strauss? But I bid you to hurry," he replied hastily.

"What was in the sarcophagus at last? I'm just...interested. You sounded like you had opened it."

"Oh yes indeed I opened it." He smiled mysteriously and for the first time, Strauss couldn't read the mimic of the Prince. "There was power inside," he grinned.

"Power?" Strauss asked with a raised eyebrow, eying the smaller man next to him distrustfully.

"Do I have to repeat myself unnecessarily?" frowned the Prince, impatient.

"No, no. Of course not."

"Well then, excuse me Mr. Strauss." And the Ventrue left the Tremere with his confused thoughts alone.

Yes, there was power inside the sarcophagus. Not quite the kind of power LaCroix expected and he hadn't the C4 in mind. It was something different. It reminded him of something he had forgotten in this city full of chaos. Something which made the Ventrue the ruling clan among the Kindred.

_Patience._

A female voice echoed in his head.

"Yes, patience indeed." He smiled satisfied and walked out of the theatre to the black limousine waiting for him.


	3. Dream a little dream of me

Everything was engulfed in a deep red mist, and her brain wasn't able to decipher the information given by her eyes after they opened with a rash and hasty movement. Nothing made sense at all but one thing was certain: the feeling of burning hunger, and this was the only clear thought in her blurry mind. The only reason why she was now moving. The craving for blood kept her alive, despite not knowing where she was or what had happened in the past few hours, and the thirsty vampire followed her nose which had picked up the scent of blood; blood that promised to soothe the unbearable scream inside her dead body.

To frenzy was never a pleasant experience, but it was a desperate struggle to stay alive.

Her searching claws got a hold of something which contained precious blood and without hesitation she plunged her fangs deep into it, greedily sucking the red liquid out of the victim until it was dry. Who or what it was didn't matter to her at the moment. Nothing mattered besides easing the hunger, and with it the Beast's control of her actions.

The red mist slowly lifted its consuming, numbing embrace and she let herself fall on her back. A bad idea as waves of pain flowed through her body like fluid fire, and she let out an agonized moan as she rolled on her side, looking at the empty plastic blood pack in her cramped hand. She realised now that this was her Downtown apartment, and she was lying next to the refrigerator on some more empty blood packs. This again made no sense but wasn't her major concern at the moment.

_'Why am I alive?'_ Katherine Falkner was confused and irritated. She should have been nothing more than a drained pile of ash atop the Venture Tower, if her memory didn't deceive her. But she was alive, more or less, feeling the symphony of pain in her back again and her broken bones now slowly knitting themselves together. With the healed bones came back some fragments of her memory. She had offered to LaCroix not only her vitae but her very essence of life. Why hadn't he taken it? The Prince was the type of person who would ruthlessly take what he wanted so why spare her? It wouldn't have been the first time he used her as a pawn, which lead to the next question: why in God's name had she done that? He didn't deserve it at all, and as she remembered her own thoughts at this desperate moment she had to frown. _'People are doing strange things in strange situations. Ivory Prince...hilarious.' _Katherine was a bit ashamed by her awkward thoughts, but then again, no one heard them so it was fine. Still she had to ask herself that one question, and the answer frightened her. As she saw the C4 in the sarcophagus she was afraid. Not for herself but afraid for LaCroix. Of _losing_ LaCroix! She snorted after that realisation. It was strange. When her sire had to die it didn't touch her at all **– **only that she nearly had to vomit as his head rolled on the theatre stage, glancing at her with dead blue eyes before he was nothing more than a skull, surrounded by ash. It was like a stranger died. You feel pity and sorry for them but you move on. No tears, no sorrow, only the egotistical feeling of gladness that it wasn't your head on the floor. But with LaCroix on the other side..._'Just revenge on the Anarchs.'_ Desperately she tried to calm herself with this argument. Nothing would piss them off more than to see the snobbish Prince still alive after their little firecracker. Yes, that was the reason: Vengeance, nothing more.

"Oh geez. Lady, you've got a serious problem," Katherine said to herself and touched the bite mark on her throat. Like her burned back it would heal in torpor during the day. As the Prince bit her it had felt...strange, but then it had also been electrifying. A sensation she couldn't quite describe as he stole her vitae. Then it was cold but as her essence briefly touched his it was just phenomenal. A bit scary of course, but a pleasant kind of fear.

"Okay! Time out!" Enough with the brooding! It would just confuse her more than she already was and she needed a shower. Or maybe just a bit of water on her face. And the clothes she was wearing weren't more than some torn apart rags; she would need to change.

As Katherine stepped into her bathroom another horror awaited her: it was a mess. The shower was covered in blood and ash while on the ground lay a pile of clothes. Definitely not her clothes, and as she picked up one piece of them she couldn't believe her eyes. That ugly grey pinstriped shirt was something she would recognise among hundreds of ugly pinstriped shirts. That thing was LaCroix's.

"I'll be damned!" So _he_ plundered her fridge and _he_ made her bathroom a bloody mess!_ 'He must have been pretty desperate,'_ sarcasm just oozing from the sentence, and as she dug around in the pile she became more and more certain that this was definitely LaCroix's dark grey suit. What next? Did he perform a raid on her wardrobe? That would've been quite amusing and she couldn't help but laugh as an image of the Prince wearing her clothes popped up in her mind. He wouldn't go outside naked, or would he? Stop! Imagining the boss naked was a strict no-go in her work policy! But it was again quite interesting that she and LaCroix shared the same food preference. Not very surprising in terms of their step-sire and childe relationship, but they never really talked much about that. _'A Ventrue's blood preferences are a private matter. One never asks,'_ she quoted LaCroix's speech in her mind about the Laws of Decorum.

She left the pile where it was and took a look at her image in the mirror. Not a pleasant view – till now Katherine didn't realise that part of her left cheek had also been burned. The flesh was black and in-between the bare flesh she could see some white parts of the cheekbone. It was really time for day to come, and as if her wish had been heard by the sun she felt her eyes become heavy.

With the last of her strength she dragged herself back into the bedroom, falling onto the soft mattress on her gut with her face in the pillow. But her torpor was haunted by a strange dream.

_Everything was dark and suddenly a spotlight illuminated a figure before her. It was her dead sire._

_"The jester is burned, his cap is now the jack's."_

_Then the spotlight was extinguished, only to illuminate another figure behind her. As she turned around, there was LaCroix._

_"The king moves his queen far away to betray."_

_Again the spotlight was extinguished and then illuminated both her sire and LaCroix in front of her as they spoke._

_"The queen is the king."_

_And they vanished again in the darkness, from which yet another figure stepped out._

_It was herself._

_"And the king is the queen."_

_Then the scenery changed. The sky was burning red, debris raining from the weeping clouds as another Katherine shoved her over the edge of a cliff, and she fell deep down into a bottomless pit._

_"Patience." Her own voice echoing from above the pit._

---

The next night she awoke Katherine felt awkward. Was the blood pack bad because LaCroix left the door of the fridge open?_ 'Damn, what a fucking strange dream!' _This was really more Malkavian-like, or the soldier who donated his blood was some sort of secret hippie.

After the usual stuff, like showering and putting on new clothes, Katherine turned on her computer just to find that her post-box was nearly exploding. Grumbling she ignored the spam, the ones from Mercurio, Gary, and the Voerman sisters and stopped at a mail from LaCroix, dated yesterday.

"Never resting, eh?" she murmured and opened it.

_From: Sebastian LaCroix_

_Subject: Meeting_

_We need to talk. Come immediately to the tower. – SL_

Nervously she slid off the chair. Short emails from her boss were never a good omen, though she had to agree they needed to talk. So she turned the computer off again, grabbing her reserve holster with a Glock and pulling on her leather coat. First priority was feeding – if the Prince would bitch about it, then he shouldn't have used up all her blood packs. A valid argument in her opinion and with it she left the apartment.


	4. The mess of being dead

The night seemed normal as usual but Katherine knew this was merely a façade. She would bet her next wages that countless obfuscated Nosferatu were following her; or maybe she was just getting paranoid. Better not to start thinking about it. She squeezed some blood into the uppermost layer of her skin to look healthy and become warm to the touch. All a part of the Masquerade, to hide the existence of vampires from humans.

But now the Beast was awake and demanded blood. Luckily the Ventrue was able to judge just by the smell of a human if he was a suitable victim or not. If not for that, she would have been walking around the whole night vomiting blood on the streets because of her body's inability to absorb the blood of an inferior human. Katherine wandered around a bit, trying to look obviously lost in the labyrinths of Downtown L.A., and after a good hour a human of her preference passed by.

"Err...excuse me, please." The man turned around and looked at her with a questioning face. "Do you know where I can find a hotel with vacancies?" It still felt pretty awkward suddenly talking to strangers and sucking out their blood if they snapped on the bait, and she often felt stupid doing it.

"You aren't from around here right?" the man responded, giving her a smile. Well, that was right. Katherine wasn't from Los Angeles, not even from the U.S. and her accent revealed her. Her father however was an American citizen, stationed in Germany at the Spangdahlem Air Base. There he had met her mother. Just a normal and boring tale of a U.S. soldier falling in love with a woman from the country he was stationed at. They got married, had children and lived happily ever after. How she wished to contact them.

"Well spotted." She gave him a polite smile back. "Would you like to accompany me to a hotel through that alley?" She looked into his eyes and pronounced each word carefully like LaCroix had taught her to get the domination right. She was only familiar with the disciplines dominate and fortitude and didn't even know about presence. LaCroix hadn't told her about that discipline in this short month.

"I'll accompany you through the alley," the man repeated absently in a trance, and both vanished into the dark alley.

Just a minute later Katherine walked out from there alone, ready to meet the Prince. Of course she hadn't drained the man dry. She didn't want to become a total monster, just killing and rampaging like those Sabbat Kindred, and again her mind went back to her family.

For the moment they wouldn't be concerned. Nearly one month ago she travelled on behalf of her company to L.A. for a seminar about U.S. taxation, and of course she'd decided to spend all of her available holiday for the year. It wasn't often she had the chance to travel at the cost of her employer and have some fun – but her vacation had slowly come to an end. If you could call it a vacation at all. Turned into a vampire, dragged into undead conspiracy and intrigue, and at the tip of the iceberg was nearly being killed by Ming-Xiao, who'd turned into some sort of giant tentacle monster. If Yuki hadn't been around to help Katherine out, she would have had a very serious problem. And of course Mercurio. Thanks to his arsenal and skill in acquiring even military-grade weapons she'd survived a lot of delicate situations. Not forgetting the sarcophagus full of C4.

Before Katherine had taken an office job she'd wanted to be a soldier like her father, but found she wasn't qualified to become a pilot. So she became a professional soldier in the Bundeswehr to take up a career as an officer. In the end she realised it wasn't her cup of tea, and that's how she ended up working in an office.

But those years had now paid off. Without her knowledge about weapons she would have been dead in the first night, and a sword really wasn't her weapon of choice unless she wanted to commit suicide by accidentally slicing her own head off. No thanks.

Again this brought up another topic she needed to discuss with LaCroix. Katherine was a German citizen and still employed in Germany. If she wasn't back in time, people would start asking questions. Very unpleasant questions. There was no way that she could remain here in the U.S. and in some way that made her sad. It would make her sad to leave LaCroix to be precise, and as she realised that she had to shudder. This was all so complicated! If she only would have stayed in the army, she wouldn't have met her sire and all this crappy, freaking stuff wouldn't have become a part of her life.

Ah yes, her sire who she had met at the seminar. He'd been a charming person with good manners, and was very fascinating. Against her better judgment she'd accepted his invitation for a drink at his apartment. Damn! She had a boyfriend back home, what had she been thinking? Now she knew better. He had dominated her.

His name was Alexander Turner, and that was all she knew about him. She was the only one who'd done any talking. About her job, what she liked and so on. He had listened patiently and then Embraced her out of the blue. She still had only blurry memories of it. Katherine saw how he came closer, looking into her eyes with a strange expression on his clean shaven face that she couldn't read. And then her world was bedlam.

Finally she arrived at the Venture Tower, where she saw a few police cars parked in front of the entrance. Seemed like the mess from last night still wasn't cleaned up. LaCroix's PR Department surely had a lot work at the moment. In the main hall some journalists lingered around but besides that everything was normal, with good old Chunk sitting at his security desk.

"Good evening Chunk. A lot of work I suppose?"

"Hey there Miss Falkner! Sorry, but I don't have much time for small talk. Observing those journalists, you know. Mr. LaCroix ordered me not to let any of them move unobserved." Lovely Chunk. He always took his job very seriously. "After that gas explosion it was really hell in here! Glad you both weren't in the office anymore. Mr. LaCroix will certainly sue the builder's ass off." Wow. LaCroix had really set up some explanation for this. Katherine didn't want to be in the skin of that CEO when he unleashed his rage upon him.

"I think Mr. LaCroix got just the right man for this." Katherine gave him a wink and the big man grinned proudly.

"Ah yes and he's expecting you, but not in his usual office of course. Go to floor thirteen." He punched a button on his desk to call the elevator for Katherine.

"Thanks, Chunk."

"Oh, and to call the elevator for this part of the tower you need to be qualified as per the A-43. Did you know that?"

Oh god, not one of those speeches again.

"Hum, no but...that sounds really important. Sorry, I don't want to keep Mr. LaCroix waiting. You know how he's fussy about such things." With a long stride she walked to the elevator, stepping inside and as the doors closed they cut off Chunk's sad mumblings.

It was a fairly normal office Katherine stepped into. No old French decor from Napoleon's century, just plain white walls and a sterile floor of linoleum tiles. She stepped into the meeting room where she saw a glass table with the Prince sitting at the opposite end of her, shuffling through a fairly large amount of paper sheets and files and writing something every once in a while.

"You are late." LaCroix put the pen down and stared at her angrily.

_'I'm fine, thanks for asking.'_ Obviously he was in a bad mood. It was better to be obedient now. The last time Katherine contradicted him when he was in such a mood, he'd sent her off on a suicide mission to sabotage the Sabbat. She'd learned her lesson.

"Sorry," she mumbled, unable to say anything more as his grey eyes pierced through her like daggers. She discarded her plan to point out that he had plundered her fridge.

"At any moment the Primogen will arrive, and how would I have looked if you weren't present? Can I be patient, like you suggested, in mayhem like this?" he hissed, joining his fingers under his nose.

"I never said you should be patient." The hell she would give him orders! That would be madness! But LaCroix frowned, just looking even more displeased than he already was. But wait! The Primogen expected her here? That was very unusual and just as she was about to ask him why the Primogen wanted her in a meeting they stepped in.

* * *

AN: Exposition, Exposition rushing it out ASAP! - That Guy with the Glasses

Again a boring chapter with a lot of blahblah but I really wanted to flesh her out a bit and explain why she's actually able to handle weapons and of course the problems having a life as a human brings (to slaughter the family was too cheap in my opinion xD). And yeah. She's not American. I wanted her at first to be Italian but I have no knowledge about the Italian military or job system at all. At least Katherine can now make fun of LaCroix about how Napoleon's ass was kicked at Leipzig. Not to mention Waterloo where he was Embraced.


	5. Of Kindred politics

With two of the Primogen Katherine was familiar – Maximillian Strauss from clan Tremere and Gary from clan Nosferatu. Both were some creepy fellows in her opinion; Strauss because of his magic stuff she'd never understand, and Gary just because he was a Nosferatu. All the Nosferatu looked like the monster every vampire inherited, and they used this look quite well for intimidation. Gary once scared the shit out of Katherine, literally popping out of thin air, his deformed face just centimetres away from hers. But when she had to decide which of those two was creepier, Strauss or Gary, she really had to go with Strauss, simply because of the fact that he was a vampire _and_ a goddamn wizard! Gary was just some kind of vampire nerd with the information and computer stuff. The point was that she understood what the Nosferatu was doing unlike the Tremere. So yes, she would pick Strauss.

"Good evening, honoured Primogen." LaCroix's tone was polite but reserved, and even Katherine knew this was just a set phrase to preserve the façade of respect. "Please take a seat." With a wide gesture the Prince pointed to the assembled chairs at the table.

Among them was actually a new face Katherine had never seen before. She had seen the Primogen once before, and this woman would have definitely caught her attention. She was not only pale, she was white due to her makeup, with blood red lips and a black mane of curled hair. She was clothed in a Renaissance-style dress and had some strange flickering in her eyes which Katherine couldn't identify. As the woman noticed her stare Katherine had to look down. The gaze felt uncomfortable, like someone directly staring into her most inner being. It sent cold shivers down her spine.

"You have a lot to explain, Prince," the Brujah Primogen, Thomas, spoke with a rough and loud voice as he sat down.

"The ivory Prince is not tainted by the ebon sin." The new woman had a melodic voice, but it sounded like she was far away and her mind not really present. There it struck Katherine: she must be the new Malkavian Primogen after the deceased Alistair Grout. The chosen words of the woman made Katherine a bit suspicious, but that was again something she couldn't point out.

She was bumped out of her ruminations as LaCroix coughed and everyone stared at her. She was the only one who still stood somewhat stupidly at the door – why in God's name did she always look like an idiot among these important Kindred?

With an excusing expression on her face Katherine rushed silently into a corner behind LaCroix, like the Sheriff would do it. Where was he by the way? It was really unusual that the Prince's huge shadow wasn't with him.

"I demand further proof!" the Brujah persisted. "Let Maximillian use his sorcery to give us a second opinion."

With widened eyes Katherine stared at the back of LaCroix. Was that a direct declaration of mistrust? The Prince must be inwardly seething but he remained calm.

"If that is your wish, Primogen, then Mr. Strauss may proceed."

"But from both of you." Thomas pointed at Katherine and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Why me?" she dared to ask as the thought of Strauss using his strange voodoo stuff on her was really uncomfortable. "It -" With a glare LaCroix silenced her and she closed her mouth._ 'Breach of Decorum,' _his look clearly stated. Do not speak without permission from the elders.

Surprisingly Strauss gave her a little comfort.

"What I need won't be much. Only a sample of your blood is necessary." He smiled but it comforted her only slightly. The Tremere stood up from his seat and walked over to LaCroix, who bit into his finger and let a single drop of blood fall on Strauss' open palm. Then he stepped over to Katherine who hesitated. LaCroix gave her a slight nod, and with a sigh she did the same as he had done and squeezed a drop of her blood onto Strauss' other palm.

"Well that wasn't terrible at all." Strauss smiled a little bit amused and stepped out of the room. The Tremere made a national secret of their blood magic, so it was obvious that Strauss wouldn't perform it in front of everyone, and as he stepped back in he had a startled look on his face and his gaze rotated between LaCroix and Katherine.

The Brujah jumped out of his seat.

"I was right!" he shouted, but Strauss raised his hand.

"No signs of diablerie on either of them. They haven't committed this crime against the Camarilla's laws, I can assure you of that." Whatever Strauss had discovered, he didn't share it with them. He just looked at LaCroix who nodded.

"So why are you looking that strange, Maximillian?" the Toreador Primogen finally spoke. "Is there something we should know?"

The bald vampire shook his head. "This is not our concern." Everyone except LaCroix and Strauss exchanged suspicious looks. Katherine was now officially out of the loop, not having even a slight glimpse into what was going on at the moment.

"Then I assume this case is finally closed," LaCroix added in a sharp tone. "I will not tolerate any more false accusations that I or my protégé broke the law. My duty is to _enforce_ the law, not break it._" _

"I have to agree," Strauss said and it surprised Katherine that he supported LaCroix. Wasn't he the one who showed the most concern about LaCroix and his ambitions? Why the change of mind so suddenly?

"The voice agrees," the Malkavian also added, and Gary just flicked his shoulders. So it was two against two, the final vote was the important one and it belonged to the Ventrue Primogen.

"I also support Prince LaCroix."

'_Well, that was kind of obvious.'_ And Katherine seemed to not be the only one with that opinion, because both the Brujah and Toreador Primogen wore displeased expressions.

"But there are still rumours that you allied with the Kuei-Jin!" Thomas hurled his hand onto the table and it was a miracle the glass didn't break into thousands of pieces.

"Prince LaCroix, it concerns us that your personal aims are blinding you in regards to your decisions for the well-being of the Camarilla community, endangering the very stability of it." Whatever the Toreador had against LaCroix, it was some serious matter.

"I assure you that this is also not the case," the Prince responded with a calm voice. "It really surprises me that you take into account the circulating gossip and rumours which the Anarchs and those demons spread. On the other hand, it is a fact that I am responsible for the elimination of the threat the Kuei-Jin were to our community." He smiled. "None of you were even aware of their threatening presence to us," LaCroix explained.

"I never imagined that clan Brujah cared so much about gossip," the Ventrue Primogen chuckled slightly and Thomas looked like he would jump out of his seat and throttle the other Kindred.

"Gentlemen, please." Strauss tried to calm the situation and focused on Katherine.

"Let us ask the neonate." And again all eyes were on her. Nervously she stepped from one foot to the other, feeling again uncomfortable with this sudden attention, clenching her hands inside her leather coat.

"Please, you talked to Ming-Xiao in her final moments. What did she tell you?" Strauss continued with his questioning and Katherine looked at LaCroix, expecting to find a small hint from him about what she was supposed to do now. There was none.

"She was pretty angry and besides swearing to kill me and take over the city she said nothing." _Lie, lie, lie._ And Katherine was certain that the Primogen wouldn't accept it. Of course Ming-Xiao was upset, talking about LaCroix breaking up their alliance and betraying her, but she still didn't believe that her step-sire would really welcome those arrogant Asian bastards. Maybe as tools, but not as allies.

However, if they believed her lie or not the Primogen didn't show it.

"Very well neonate," Strauss mumbled and all of the Primogen released her from their scrutiny.

"Is this ridiculous topic now finished?" LaCroix hissed, impatient and annoyed about this second attempt to disgrace him. "Nothing concerns me more than this city. It is my pleasure and duty." Katherine knew this speech already – about burden of leadership clan Ventrue had to bear, the honour and the costs of it.

"And to ensure the stability of the Camarilla in this city, you should respect my position as Prince by not giving credence to circulating gossip in the streets." Only Gary chuckled again, amused, but said nothing.

"So let us now proceed to the reports." LaCroix again shuffled around the sheets of paper before him and all of the Primogen gave some boring reports about their clan Katherine didn't listen to, and all of this just raised more questions than she already had. What was the knowledge that had changed Strauss' always neutral expression into a startled one? But LaCroix's voice snapped her out of her trance.

"And with my authority as Prince, I declare the Nocturne Theatre to be Elysium from this night on." Why he did that was again beyond Katherine's horizon; but hands down there were more than enough questions knotted in her brain already, so why bother?

"I thank you all for attending this meeting. Good evening."

The Primogen rose from their seats and stepped out of the meeting room, except for the Malkavian Primogen who walked over to Katharine, who was still standing in the corner.

"Did you enjoy the dream, little Alice?" she whispered into her ear, caressing Katherine's cheek like a caring mother.

"Dream?" Katherine could barely respond.

"Oh please accompany me tonight to my private tea party, my dear little Alice. My house is just opposite of poor Alistair's." And before Katherine could respond, the Malkavian walked away leaving her and LaCroix alone again in the room.

"Silly fools," he hissed while he clenched his fists. Katherine had the sudden urge to soothe him and make him happy in any way she possibly could. With might she stomped that feeling down as he stood up and turned to her.

"At least you understand me," he smiled and she couldn't help but smile back, like a child who had been praised for good behaviour. "But you really need to work on your persuasiveness." His smile suddenly faded away. "Your poor, bland lie was more than obvious." LaCroix stepped to where Katherine was standing, and if there wasn't a wall behind her back she would have leapt backwards. Why? Maybe the expression in his eyes or that he was suddenly so close – until he handed her a sealed envelope.

"Bring this letter to the Anarchs. It is a very important matter so I am entrusting you with it." Katherine again felt a little bit dumb and grabbed the envelope.

"And do not speak to anyone, even to another Ventrue, about what happened in my office last night. I permit you to do the same about the events afterwards. Do you understand? This is very important."

Obediently Katherine nodded and LaCroix smiled, satisfied.

"Excellent. You are dismissed." He waved his hand and walked back to his seat to resume his work with the files.

"If you have a short moment to spare, I would like to ask you something." Finally she found her voice and prowled out of her corner. It was strange to see LaCroix outside of his pompous office.

"Don't you see this mess here?" he snorted, annoyed. Often he made the impression that he would snap at any moment because he had so much going on, but she really needed some damn answers before they drove her insane.

"I do, but please. Just...one answer. Then I'm out," she persisted politely and LaCroix sighed.

"Just one and be quick."

Katherine weighed her options.

"Why didn't you drain me dry last night on the roof?"

LaCroix frowned.

"Isn't that obvious? Diablerie is a crime and I do not break the Camarilla's laws. You just witnessed the Primogens' reaction to the mere suspicion of it," he snapped.

"But -" He interrupted her.

"Your one question was asked and answered. You are _dismissed_." He would not dominate her, well not yet when she would still obey. Katherine bit her lower lip. That wasn't an answer! But it would be better not to stretch her luck.

"Yes, of course. Thank you." With a sigh she left the office and made her way back to the main hall, wishing Chunk a good night. Now where to go next? To the Anarchs or to the Malkavian? She wasn't really eager to meet the Anarchs now after all this mess. She had no idea how they would react to her now that she had openly confessed her allegiance to LaCroix.


	6. Alice in Wonderland

Perhaps it was for the best not to visit the Anarchs now and to pay the Primogen a visit. Maybe insanity and insanity joined together could negate themselves and actually make some kind of sense, but that sounded more like a desperate wish than a real possibility. LaCroix had said that delivering the letter was important, not urgent, and should he again complain Katherine would really try to point that out unlike the fridge incident. This time she wouldn't just take it! Hopefully. Things liked to change when she stood eye to eye with LaCroix and those things were never in her favour and she could slap herself now. Of course her question was totally stupid. She should have asked him, 'Why didn't you leave me on the roof to die?' Shit!

Katherine stepped outside the Venture Tower into the urban jungle of Downtown L.A., waving her hand to stop a cab. She got into the car and told the driver where her destination was. Gladly she remembered on which street Grout's mansion was located.

It was another cabbie this time, not the one with the unusual red glasses and strange speech who had picked her up in Santa Monica while the blood hunt was on her. He hadn't been very likeable from her point of view. He had certainly known a lot and yet again he was someone wanting to give her advice without providing the slightest bit of information, speaking in goddamn riddles. He told her that LaCroix was making new foes every night and questioned if it was really the safest place for her to be at his side. That may be true but then again, what were her choices?

The Anarchs? Not really. Katherine was raised in a family where both parents were employed by the U.S. Air Force. Organisation was a vital and important factor in Katherine's life and it was still important to her in her unlife. The Anarchs were – well – Anarchs. Chaos, unorganised and structured like a street gang. Whoever could kick your ass the best was the leader, not those with the right qualifications for the position.

Ming-Xiao? Oh please! That arrogant bitch with her nose all high above speech? You are just a dumb vampire and I'm the enlightened guru. Next.

Strauss? He was creepy and besides that Katherine hadn't had much contact with the Regent of the chantry. She couldn't really entrust this to him.

Run away? Yes and then? Katherine wasn't the type of person to run away from problems and conflicts. Again she was influenced by the education from her parents, and where would she have gone? Back to her family? What could she have told them? That she now had a bad allergic reaction to the sun and was on a blood diet? Again, the next option please and there was only one remaining: LaCroix.

He spared her life, took Katherine under his wing and taught her a lot about this world. After the theatre there had been Jack as well, but then after his brief introduction he was of no help at all. Just standing in The Last Round telling her what was good for her and what was not. So much for making free decisions by your own will. But LaCroix on the other hand told her about the clans, the disciplines, and most important of all gave meaning to this new existence, even if it was nothing more than to do the dirty work for him.

Once he really asked Katherine if she had ever been in the military. She'd nodded but he didn't pay attention, looking down again at his desk full of files and paper, but in the same breath he mentioned that he was actually an officer in Napoleon's ranks in the past. Without a doubt that really appealed to her. Ranks, organisation and structure were factors she very much needed in this new chaotic world and LaCroix was that anchor, and still is. Katherine herself was a 'Oberleutnant' in the Bundeswehr. So she knew about the responsibilities taken on for those you were giving orders to, or as LaCroix liked to say, 'the burden of leadership,' which he took very seriously. Katherine often thought that the weight on his shoulders was way too much for him. To be the Prince of a city with the highest Kindred population around, where four factions were fighting to rule it and on top of that your own group didn't trust you, even going so far as to sabotage your plans. The potential power the sarcophagus might have contained must have seemed to him like a heaven-sent resolution for all his problems, and that's why he was so obsessed with it. Yes, that made sense in Katherine's opinion, but it was still only a guess; and to make all of it confusing once again there were those strange feelings for the Prince, despite his bad temper and that he really is a self-absorbed asshole, that she wasn't aware of before. Geez, was she developing some kind of co-dependency syndrome? These last weeks had been too cramped for her to spare time thinking about her personal situation, but all of this was now forcibly rushing into her mind.

The cab stopped and Katherine paid the driver, walking out of the car till she now stood in front of a huge gate – behind it, the mansion of the Primogen. It really looked a bit like Grout's and Katherine turned around, giving the burned ruins of his mansion an odd look. She shook her head as she passed the gates and stepped to the main door, ringing the bell.

A man opened it, dressed like a British butler and even had the right age for it with a grey moustache and his white hair precisely combed.

"Yes ma'am, may I help you?" He even had a British accent.

"Miss Ophelia invited me to a private tea party," Katherine responded. Did vampires really drink tea? She once tried to eat her beloved pancakes and they tasted like ash, but then again Ophelia was a Malkavian. Katherine really preferred a nice tea party with undrinkable tea to facing again such stuff as was in Grout's mansion.

"Ah yes!" The butler smiled politely. "Then you must be Alice. Please, follow me." Now he opened the door wider so that Katherine was able to walk in.

The interior was set from the time of the industrial revolution, as far as Katherine could guess, but there were also a lot of flowers and the colours were friendlier. Not as white and full of gold as LaCroix's bombed office was. Much more elegant and decent and best of all: no ghouls with sharp knives trying to slice her throat open.

The butler led her to the balcony where a round table was standing. From there you had a nice view of the garden, and three out of the four chairs were already occupied. In one there was an old, really used up teddy bear that was missing an eye. On another sat a small porcelain doll which looked antique and last but not least there sat the Primogen. The last vacant chair was apparently for Katherine. The table was covered with enough cups of tea for four people.

"Please go ahead. I'll bring the tea." The butler vanished and Katherine walked over to the table.

"Thank you for the invitation, Primogen." LaCroix had drilled respect for the elders into her head and she'd understood it fast. Their anger was something you didn't want to bring upon yourself. Anger a supervisor, go mop the floor or get a verbal scolding. Anger an elder vampire of the Camarilla you are the mop to clean the floor, and that was one of the nicer punishments.

"Oh dear Alice, Mr. Teddy is so eager to meet you!" Ophelia pointed to the empty chair. "Please, make yourself comfortable my child." It was really strange to be treated like a child but then again she really was a child in this new world. A mere toddler you could say. But a tea party with dolls? Why was she here again? Katherine did as the Primogen told her and sat down.

"Was the dream a nice one? Were there cute little bunnies?" The voice of the Malkavian suddenly sounded like that of a child.

"Straight to the topic as always, Marilyn." She now chuckled in her normal voice, if it was her normal voice.

"I'm sorry but what dream?" Katherine had had one, yes but why in God's name would the Primogen know about that?

"Don't play dumb fledgling! There was one!" Ophelia spoke in a deep and masculine voice.

"Do not be rude to our guest, Mr. Teddy!" she warned the used teddy bear, waving with her index finger.

Katherine was irritated, her face just a big question mark as the butler returned with a tray full of cookies and a pot of tea, both of which he put on the table, bowing and then leaving them again alone.

"Please, please have some." Ophelia pointed to the cookies and Katherine took one hesitantly, so as not to offend her host.

"We'd really like to know what the gift we gave you turned out to be, even if we all can imagine." Ophelia giggled like a schoolgirl, looking conspiratorially to the porcelain doll and poured them all – including the bear and doll – some tea.

"You gave me a dream? I apologize for my ignorance and all the questions but as...Mr. Teddy said," she gave the stuffed animal a wary gaze, "I'm just a fledgling." She was twenty-seven years old and having a tea party with toys like in her childhood, but then again LaCroix had told her to never, ever call a Malkavian a lunatic in their presence. Just play along and they won't mess with your sanity.

"At least she acknowledges being dumb, bwahahahahaha!" Ophelia or the teddy laughed.

"Oh dear, I excuse his bad manners." Again she gave the teddy a warning look, but this time it was a bit sharper.

"Yes we gave you the present of insight. The insight into your own self, little Alice. You seemed so lost in this wonderland. Was it revealing? Please, tell us."

Okay, now it was starting to turn creepy but on the other hand maybe it would be good to tell this to someone – at least as long as that someone wasn't LaCroix. He wouldn't be interested anyway.

"It was dark and my sire said some strange stuff about a jester." Katherine needed to really dig deep in her memories. "Yes and Prince LaCroix was also there, talking about kings and queens and then I saw myself in some sort of post-apocalyptic scenery. It was really...interesting."

Ophelia seemed to follow her every word.

"Magnificent!" she whispered and had a smile on her lips.

"This really answers a lot!" the bear said.

"Actually it confuses me. It just doesn't make sense," Katherine said and looked frustrated. "How are you responsible for this dream?" She wanted to know.

"Ahhh, you are quite bright little Alice." Ophelia clapped her hands, excited. "Thanks to your ivory Prince I am now the voice for all Malkav's children in this wonderland," she smiled. "I just wanted to return him the favour." She gave Marilyn a naughty wink and then she – or Marilyn the doll – giggled again.

"What favour?" Katherine thought slowly like a really dumb first-grader.

Ophelia put her index finger on her lips. "That my dear Alice is a secret."

"Please, just...I need some answers. There are so many questions, they're driving me really desperate." Katherine at last had a trail and she wouldn't let it go that easily.

"Come on Miss! Tell her! Tell her! Just a tiny bit!" the porcelain doll said and Katherine smiled.

"Thank you Marilyn." It was awkward but now she would even talk to a tree for answers.

Ophelia stared at Katherine, no she stared through her, again looking like she was far away, stepping into a completely foreign world.

"We killed the jester in the tower, to be reborn as a king. The puppet is not a puppet anymore." Like in a trance the Primogen muttered these words, but then suddenly she threw her head back with an insane and maniacal laughter. "Two puppets! Two puppets and they are each each other's puppet master, even the master!" She screamed and Katherine covered her ears because the voice was brittle and hurt her eardrums.

The butler stormed onto the balcony toward the Primogen and gave Katherine an angry gaze.

"Leave now! I'll call you a taxicab, but leave immediately!" he shouted at her, grabbing the screaming Primogen who now scratched her face and left there bloody stains all over the perfect pale skin.

"Yes, yes. I'm sorry. Thank you." With wide and fast steps she walked out of the mansion, again just more confused than before. What the hell was that now? Why were vampires so strange? Why did they always have to talk in riddles or use a lot of phrases that said nothing in the end? Would she be the same after some years?

Only a few minutes passed and a cab arrived. Now it was time to deliver LaCroix's letter to the Anarchs. Katherine begged that there wouldn't be even more questions awaiting her.


	7. First Round at the Last Round

On the ride back downtown Katherine decided not to think about what happened in the mansion of the Primogen. She was already tired of trying to solve puzzles she probably wouldn't understand in the circuit of one tiny night of eternity, and maybe she was lucky enough that LaCroix would answer some of them, but then again she doubted it. He wouldn't tell her anything unless it benefited him at some point, so maybe she needed to let this appear profitable. With a glance she looked at the cookie in her hand and let it slip into her pocket. Well at least she had a cookie. Great, wasn't it?

Also she wasn't really eager to step into the cave of the lion, namely the Anarchs' bar but then again she really was curious. Where was the fun in revenge when you don't see the result of it? And Katherine was a little bit frustrated so it would probably lighten her mood to see Damsel barking at her as long as they didn't punch her around, but then again: No risk, no fun right?

The cab stopped just before the entrance of The Last Round and as Katherine stood before it, she could hear the hammering of rock music from inside. She couldn't understand why the Anarchs weren't deaf by now. She straightened out her coat and opened the door and immediately the hard and loud sound hit her in the face. As Katherine closed the door, the eyes of the other visitors inspected her distrustfully and she was definitely not welcomed here. She gave them a smug smile. So they really are pissed off that the Prince is still alive. But her smile died as she spotted Damsel, who stormed directly to her with a really angry face and intercepted Katherine at the stairs. For a moment she thought that Damsel would jump at her.

"Whatcha' want, Cammy?" She spat out the last word.

"Good evening, Damsel." Katherine couldn't help but grin again. Well, Damsel was always pissed but now she was really angry, grinding her teeth and exposing her fangs. "Just want to deliver a letter from our Prince." Katherine knew she was walking on thin ice as she said 'our Prince,' but then again, she rarely had the chance to be herself, like how she handled that stuff while she was alive.

"OUR Prince?" She snarled at Katherine who was really satisfied to hear that Damsel bit the bait.

"Listen, Cammy: You shouldn't be here and I would really like to rip off your spine! So just fuck off and leave!"

Katherine bit on her lower lip.

"Not before I can deliver the letter," she said, pulling the envelope out of the inner pocket of her coat. "It's for Nines. I'm glad that he survived the park." Damsel stared at her like it would kill Katherine if she would just keep up staring at her angrily.

"You can shove this thing up LaCroix's ass along with your head!" Damsel hissed, and still made no move to let Katherine up the stairs.

"Wow, you're pretty pissed that he escaped your little fireworks, right? So you're pissed too, that I'm also not dead, right? You're not a bit better than LaCroix." Katherine wasn't licking LaCroix's shoes, she was just following orders. Something they wouldn't understand. The Anarchs were just behaving like rebellious little children in her opinion.

"Watch it Cammy, or I'll shove that thing into _your_ ass!" Damsel now reduced the distance between their faces, directly staring only an inch away from Katherine's eyes.

"Just try it." Katherine didn't flinch. This was an Elysium which the Anarchs had declared, so she was sure that Damsel wouldn't break their petty won rules. Funny, that they even had rules. Weren't they Anarchs?

"That's enough, kid." Above the stairs stood Nines Rodriguez with his arms crossed. "Give me the letter." He held an arm out, and with a last angry but triumphant gaze to Damsel Katherine walked up the stairs and gave the envelope to Nines.

"So you survived too. That's good kid." Nines said as he ripped the envelope open, his tone cold but honest. Katherine was just too mad at the Anarchs and that included even Nines for the events with the sarcophagus.

"I would actually be happier if LaCroix would just send you an explosive gift in return, like a mail bomb for example." She smiled venomously at the Anarch leader and to her disappointment he didn't react, but Damsel gave her the satisfaction of one.

"Watch your mouth Cammy..." Just a bit more and the red-haired Vampire would explode, so Katherine decided to push her luck. Damsel also didn't dare to do something the last time. Barking dogs don't bite, like they say in her home country, and again Katherine gave her a smug smile.

"What does the damn fascist Prince want from us anyway? That pseudo-buddy-stuff again?" Damsel snorted in a snide tone.

"Yeah, he wants a kind of truce and so on, plus good ol' Messerach there." Nines pointed with his thumb to a mummy which sat on a chair in the corner, grinning with its lipless mouth. _'So it was a normal mummy after all_._'_ Katherine thought, a bit bitter. Seemed like LaCroix still didn't want to let this thing just go away easily. Was he still thinking that the mummy was some kind of vampire ancestor?

Damsel laughed. "Sure he can get another Happy Meal!"

"And who do you want to bomb alongside him this time? Some other Kindred who doesn't join your kindergarten?" Katherine just poured more fuel onto the fire and hell she enjoyed it! Damsel just wanted to jump at her, but Nines interrupted.

"I'm sorry for that kid, but you picked the wrong side. Stop whining about that, it was your choice." Nines spoke those words in a tone which definitely implied that she really shouldn't go further with her taunting.

"Maybe you should call yourself terrorists then. They also just kill those who don't share their opinion." Katherine ignored the warning tone Nines' words had, and she was just too upset to be subtle; besides she wasn't really a subtle person when she was angry about someone.

"Okay, that's it bitch!" Now from the situation arouse that which Katherine thought would not happen. Damsel swung her fist right into Katherine's face with such a speed that she could not evade the hit. She felt the impact as a burning pain on her cheek and staggered backwards where the stairs were. She couldn't get a grip anywhere, so she fell off the stairs, first hitting the back of her head on one of them and then landing on her back on the ground. As a human she would've been unconscious now, but gladly that was not the case anymore. So she got back on her feet relatively fast. Damsel was already down the stairs.

"Want some more, Cammy? No disciplines or weapons, just your fists! Are you up to that, bootlicker?" She cracked the bones of her knuckles.

"Bring it on, spoiled yuppie!" Katherine took off her coat and threw it carelessly away. This was not the first brawl she'd gotten herself into.

"Catfight!" some other vampire shouted and a crowd formed around the two combatants, shouting and cheering for Damsel to make it painful for Katherine, and she was at a serious disadvantage which she really wasn't aware of. Damsel was a Brujah, with much more experience in combat; Katherine on the other hand was a Ventrue. Not really the type of vampire who should confront others with brass fists.

Again Damsel took the initiative with another direct punch aimed at Katherine's face, but this time she was prepared and blocked the hit with her forearm. Which ached after it took the hit, but she ignored it, counterattacking with a punch aimed at Damsel's gut. It succeeded, but Damsel seemed unaffected by the hit and immediately landed the next punch with her right fist, followed by a fast hit with her angled knee into Katherine's belly and she could feel how some of her ribs were cracking. That was bad, but that wasn't a reason to be a chicken.

"Is that all you've got, Cammy?" Damsel mocked her and the crowd laughed.

"Just a warm-up. Nothing to get excited about little brat," Katherine hissed with clenched teeth to suppress a groan, and this time she was the first to attack with a feint uppercut aimed at Damsel's jaw, stopping abruptly as Damsel wanted to block it with both arms like a boxer. Katherine used the gap to land a punch with her left fist in her opponent's kidney, and to avoid a counterattack from Damsel she lost her balance on purpose, falling to the ground. It looked more like a clumsy attempt to fight but Katherine didn't want to look elegant.

This time the hit had a bit more effect as Katherine could hear how Damsel angrily snarled but she wasn't back on her feet fast enough to prevent a direct hit in her face from Damsel's boots. Katherine fell back to the ground with one piece of her incisor. Damsel stepped on her chest, pressing all the air out of Katherine's lungs. Not that she needed to breathe but she still needed the air to actually talk, plus it was a sign of weakness to sound like a balloon with a hole. She grabbed Damsel's leg but didn't manage to get it off her chest and without mercy Damsel just stomped again on her cracked ribs, breaking them.

"Still such a loud mouth Cammy?" Katherine just bared her fangs and bit with vigour into Damsel's tibia.

"Owww, you damn whore!" With a pained expression she pulled her leg from Katherine's chest and delivered some kicks into her side, and then lifting her up by the sleeve gave her a crashing headbutt.

"I'll send you in pieces back to your fascist Prince! It will be—"

"That's enough, Damsel." Nines grabbed her by the shoulder. "Think the kid got the lesson." And he was right. Katherine had trouble collecting her senses and her ribs weren't healing as she couldn't concentrate on it, and even without potence Damsel was stronger than a normal human. If Katherine hadn't been a vampire, she would've been dead meat by now.

The crowd protested, disappointed about the fast fight, but no one dared to say a word against Nines.

"Tell the Prince we don't accept," Nines chuckled in Katherine's ear and then just left, walking up the stairs again. Damsel grunted and kicked the door of the exit open.

"Just don't let your ugly face be seen here anytime soon, Cammy!" She threw her on the sidewalk, but not before giving her payback for the bite by giving her a huge scratch with her nails on the cheek.

Her coat was thrown after Katherine and the door to The Last Round was slammed shut. Now she allowed herself to groan. Actually she could now feel how a rib pierced through her skin and how cold and slimy blood seeped out of the wound before she was able to close it.

"Verdammte Scheiße!" She cursed and slammed her fist on the asphalt. That was a total disgrace and her ego was more injured than her body._ 'Someday Damsel will get the bill for that!' _Katherine swore to herself, standing up and grabbing her coat. Hopefully LaCroix wouldn't ask how she got that scratch on her face. A wound inflicted by another Kindred in this way would only be healed during the torpor while it was day.

This was not going like she intended and on the contrary pushed her level of frustration even higher. With a sour face she wiped off some dirt from her clothes and started walking back to the tower to face the probably not-so-amused Prince about the Anarchs' answer to his letter.

* * *

AN: Verdammte Scheiße - Damn shit


	8. About a mesmerizing midget

Katherine stuffed her hands in the pockets of her coat, only to pull them out again with a disgusted expression as she held in one hand the poor remains of the cookie. The crumbs of the chocolate cookie were sticky and stuck to her hands. Again she was relieved not to have ended up like the poor cookie, lying in crumbs on the pavement.

At the main hall of the tower Chunk was awaiting her as usual, still observing the journalists like a fat Doberman. Despite the fact that Chunk was a bit disgusting in his ways of eating junk food, he was a person Katherine liked. He was funny with his banter. Well, sometimes Chunk was annoying because he wasn't very sensitive about the right moment to talk about certain things, but he still often managed to conjure a smile on Katherine's face. She waved at him and he gave her a questioning look because of the large scratch on her face.

"Just a small accident." She shrugged and pointed over to the elevator, giving him the hint that she wanted to see LaCroix and Chunk pushed the button as usual. As she passed Chunk he sniffed at the air, mumbling something about "Mhmm... cookie? Yeah a cookie would be really nice." She would have given it to him if that thing had still been whole. Well, maybe next time.

During the elevator ride she thought about how to tell LaCroix that the Anarchs didn't accept even one of his requirements; but Katherine didn't think he would bite her head off for that, since it was not the same as the message that the sarcophagus had been stolen, right? Somehow it wouldn't surprise her if LaCroix had a guillotine somewhere in his basement to behead a messenger with bad news... Anyway this night was already bad so why should it end now? Katherine was prepared for the worst.

With a 'bing' the elevator stopped at another level and the doors opened, releasing her again in the same meeting room as before, only this time LaCroix wasn't sitting behind his usual pile of paper. Instead he stood at the window, looking down on the streets with his hands crossed behind him. '_Oh, this is just great.'_ Katherine suddenly had déjà vu of the unpleasant kind. When she had told him that the sarcophagus was stolen he'd stood at the window in the same manner, the only difference being that this wasn't his penthouse. '_Lady, you're so damn dead.'_ She bit her lip and stepped inside harshly, the way she would do it in the military when approaching someone with a higher rank. She often fell back into this behaviour, even more so when she reported back to LaCroix.

"Sir, reporting back, sir!" Katherine was glad that her voice didn't shake, and she stood totally still like a soldier would do in front of a superior.

"That was quite long for a letter to be delivered." The Prince spoke and didn't turn around to face her.

"You said it was important, not urgent and the Malkavian Primogen had invited me to her house. I beg pardon sir, if this wasn't executed as you ordered!" Hey, this was quite smooth! Katherine felt just a bit more secure.

"The Primogen you say?" Still Katherine was staring at LaCroix's back. "What did she want from you?"

This was a question Katherine wasn't prepared for and immediately the feelings of security dwindled, making room for nervousness.

"She...ahh...wanted to know how my...dre---her gift was. Yes her gift!" That was close!

"What gift?" LaCroix persisted on the topic. Crap.

"The gift of insight, but I really don't know what that's supposed to mean." _'Just don't mention the fucking dream!' _Katherine didn't want to embarrass herself with that.

"Ah." A pretty strange sound for LaCroix to make. "So she demented you."

"Oh—WHAT?!" Now the last bit of Katherine's self-control was gone, reverting her back to the usual childish behaviour from after her Embrace.

"You mean she just made me kind of...crazy, messing around with my SANITY?" This was NOT funny! Not even the glimpse of it and she was one step away from pressing her mental panic button. At least it explained this insane dream and her strange behaviour on the roof last night.

LaCroix now gave her an annoyed gaze over his shoulder.

"Usually it is not permanent, so calm down." How could he be so relaxed? Oh yes, it was not HIS fucking brain!

"Usually? And what if it is permanent? I like my sanity!" When did Ophelia even have the chance to use dementation on her? Guess that was yet another question she'd never get answered, and now she really hit the panic button and was about to snap, as LaCroix turned around and strode slowly toward her. That was something that made her pause in her panicking, her gaze locked to the Prince as he came closer.

Katherine was again confused about LaCroix's behaviour, and if she had breath she certainly would've held it now with her heart pounding up to her head. But there was neither breath nor a heartbeat. _'Just do not look in his eyes...do not look in his eyes. No eye contact, no domination.' _But she just wasn't able to escape the stare of his icy eyes and the Prince now stood before her, just a bare inch away. He wasn't very tall, one of the first characteristics she'd noticed about Sebastian LaCroix. He was a midget and approximately a half-head taller than she was. Well, not really a midget but in comparison to the modern standard a midget. The Sheriff's size didn't make this any better.

He looked at her face, his eyes first glancing at the scratch on her cheek left by the encounter with Damsel, and then wandering down to the place where dried blood left a small red dot on her blouse. Maybe it was just her imagination – or her newfound insanity, which she was now convinced was permanent – but LaCroix licked his lips. Must have been her imagination. There was nothing. She was really getting crazy now, please call the asylum. Well, not The Asylum. Thanks.

"So, now that you are able to focus again. Tell me, even if I can predict the answer, what is the response of Nines Rodriguez?" His eyes focused on her again.

"On both it is a 'no.'" Katherine barely brought those words over her lips, just staring into LaCroix's eyes. He didn't dominate her; it was his mere presence which somehow made her into an obedient puppy. It was never this bad before.

"And you didn't unnecessarily provoke them in any way, did you?" he hissed and moved his blond eyebrows together, indicating he was in his you-fucked-it-up-and-I-will-make-you-wish-you-didn't mode.

Oh crap.

"Well...they were provoked by my mere presence...I...guess, so---" Oh Jesus...

"Do not even try to lie straight to my face." LaCroix interrupted her in a louder tone.

"Just some minor ramblings, really. They insulted us, I shot back. They were already pissed about the fact that you are still alive." She tried desperately to save the situation, but the Prince just stared at her for a long time and then walked away.

"That is obviously the case, but how often do I have to remind you that you are a Ventrue!" After some steps he stopped and turned around to focus his gaze on Katherine again. "We do not disgrace our noble blood by engaging in brutish brawls with some heathen!" LaCroix paced back to her, but somehow he wasn't as angry as Katherine expected. When he was really upset, like upon learning about the stolen sarcophagus or that it wouldn't open without a key, he would clench his fists and his jaw but now he did neither of those things. Actually she surprised herself with how well she understood LaCroix's body language in those few weeks.

And it frightened her.

"Do you understand this?" he snarled at her, stabbing her face again with his intense gaze.

"Yes, Prince LaCroix," Katherine muttered warily.

"There is no excuse for such behaviour, and since I have decided that you will accompany me on a business trip you should remind yourself of what you are now, and not what you had been." He joined his fingertips and raised an eyebrow. "You will represent the LaCroix Foundation as much as I do. Is that clear?"

Nothing was clear! It just got more and more incomprehensible for her!

"But why me? And you are the Prince! Who will lead the city?" Katherine reeled, totally taken by surprise. Not that she would mind accompanying him – stop! Bad thought!

"Well, is it not obvious that the Sheriff isn't very suitable for dealings with kine?" He chuckled snidely about Katherine's crude question. "Mr. Strauss will be covering my absence for those three nights." Okay, LaCroix and Strauss? What in the devil's name happened?

"After those two incidents here in the tower we need a new investor, and since you are from Germany, you will ensure my security there." He now walked back to the glass table.

"Yes about that, I wanted to talk to you. I have family and a job there. I really should return back home." What a nice surprise. Maybe the night wouldn't be that bad after all.

"Is that so? What do you want to tell them?" LaCroix sat down and gave her a keen look.

"I don't know, not yet. I haven't had much time to think about that." Katherine was honest and what else could she say? He seemed to discover every damn lie from her!

"Then let me make this decision easy for you. I forbid you to contact any kine you know from the days you were living," he said in a sharp tone, "or else I will consider this a Masquerade violation and deal with it accordingly. Is that clear?" LaCroix didn't sound like he would make any compromises, but when had Prince LaCroix ever made them?

"But---"

"Is that clear?" He stressed every word of it, dominating Katherine.

"It is clear," she muttered and snapped out of the trance with a bitter face.

"Excellent. So prepare yourself for our departure tomorrow. You are dismissed." He waved his hand nonchalantly while looking at a file.

"Yes, sir!" Katherine saluted him but spat out the words in anger. She didn't even want to hide it and turned around, slamming the door shut behind her.

"French son of a bitch!" She wanted to see her family, her beloved ones and this asshole of a Prince just wouldn't let her! Who gave him the right to dictate her private life, with whom she could have contact? Her damn PRIVATE life was her own! This time she was so furious that even Chunk didn't say a word as she left the tower for the last time this night.

* * *

AN: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope LaCroix is not ooc...


	9. A blast into the past

For the first time Katherine understood why the Anarchs had a serious grudge against LaCroix. What did her family have to do with feeding restrictions, keeping the Kindred population at bay or the Masquerade? She wouldn't walk into their house yelling '_Hey Mom, hey Dad! I'm a vampire now so don't try to contact me during the day.' _She might be new to the business of being dead, but that didn't mean her brain cells were dead as well. Katherine had just wanted to make a clear line for herself by telling them that she would stay in the U.S., or something like that, and why she was resigning from her current job. Yes, and Tobias. How in all seriousness would she explain these circumstances to him? They'd had a plan for a future together and now this. Should she ask LaCroix for permission to Embrace him? Chances were higher that the Prince would sing Weeds' _"_Little Boxes_"_ theme while dancing around his penthouse like a Can Can dancer from Moulin Rouge, besides the fact that his penthouse was now nothing more than a pile of rubbish. Yes, she was mad at him, very mad and Katherine had a rather unforgiving personality. She would stay mad at a person until he or she could provide a decent excuse.

With a still sour face she dashed into the Skyline Apartments, but the security guard stopped her and handed over a packet from Mercurio. She already knew what it was. At last the ghoul had lit this night up by sending her an HK P8. You just had to love Mercurio! All the other guns like the Glock 17 and the Desert Eagle were easy to acquire because of their civilian use, but the HK P8 for the Bundeswehr was slightly altered and those things came in pretty handy in her opinion.

Once inside her apartment Katherine unpacked the gun, inspected it, and with a smile she switched it with the Glock in her holster. Mercurio didn't even forget the magazine clips.

_Hey sweetie! Got what you wanted. You're quite a picky lady. – Mercurio_

With an amused giggle she put down the note from him and let her gaze wander around the apartment. Perhaps this would be her last time here. It was much bigger than her real one for sure and without doubt she would love to stay, but when she was honest with herself she admitted it was lonely. At home Katherine's dwelling wasn't much more than a room, a bath and a kitchen, but Tobias was often there. Did she even still love him? Usually she smiled when her love came to mind but she wasn't smiling anymore. There were no warm feelings in her chest when she had his image in her mind's eye, but she still didn't want to lose him. In a blink the image of her future fiancé changed into another, that of a blond and pale Kindred who was a bit short. '_Ohlordohlordohlord! It's the dementation! This can only be madness.'_ How else could she describe this? Getting a crush on Sebastian LaCroix, the iciest and most outright arrogant bastard in the whole of Los Angeles while you're engaged to someone else just _has_ to be an indicator of growing insanity. Perhaps it was better to do something to distract herself, like clean up the mess in here. She would not leave the apartment in this state of messiness.

After she cleaned up, successfully ignoring the pile of half-burned and molten clothes that were LaCroix's, she answered the mail on her computer. Well, not all, but there was a new mail from Gary which caught her attention.

_From: Gary_

_Subject: The Prince is promoting you!_

_Hey, boss, found something while I was cleaning and I think you would like it. The Nosferatu who acquired this...lovely piece died for it. Brutally. All copies were hunted down, so this is the last one which still exists. It's yours if you find and send me the throwing star from 'A Touch of Xen'._

Katherine frowned. The last reward she got from Gary for such an item was a poster of a half-naked Jeanette Voerman. She wasn't really into other women, so she'd traded it for a good discount at Vandal's blood bank. Well, that was a good trade actually and how lucky! She already had the thing he wanted. Katherine had grabbed it nonchalantly at the Red Dragon after bringing Kiki back. She had decided that the information she was given really wasn't worth the time she'd had to endure Kiki's whining. Spoiled brat.

Now it was time to pack her cases, time to leave America tomorrow and not come back. She had decided to stay in Germany after this last assignment from the Prince to cover his pompous ass.

The next night, after throwing the throwing star for Gary into her mail box along with a note saying she wouldn't come back and he could keep his reward, Katherine left the Skyline Apartments. She walked to the Venture Tower where Chunk bid her to bring back some nice food from Germany, and told her how LaCroix had asked him to come along too but he'd had to – sadly – refuse because of his important tasks here at the desk. Sure.

Again the elevator stopped at the office from yesterday, where now four other Kindred were waiting.

"Hey, it's the new one," a vampire with short brown hair smiled. He was tall and had broad shoulders like you would expect to see on a Brujah. From their style of clothing Katherine was able to judge which clan they were: Ventrue. Dressed in all black with ties, like they were some sort of mafia gang.

"Just thought the Prince's newest agent would be a bit taller," another one with longer brown hair said. "Ah, sorry for my bad humour. I'm Dean. Welcome to the Royal Security of Prince Sebastian LaCroix." He pronounced LaCroix's name in a pompous and important tone, spreading his arms wide open and the other Kindred began to chuckle. Katherine was also unable to stay serious and joined them.

"This is James," he pointed to the big bulky one. "Then we have Elizabeth, but we just call her Liz, and last but not least Caleb." The woman – Elizabeth - had long blonde hair and was of a slender build; Caleb on the other hand had black, close cropped hair similar to a military style and was fairly brown for a Vampire. He looked like he really originated from a southern country.

"You'd better change your clothes, before the Prince comes. Here's your 'uniform'." Dean handed Katherine a small package and pointed with his thumb to what was probably the door to the restroom.

"Thanks, I'm ---" Elizabeth interrupted her with a friendly smile.

"Katherine, yes we know you. Every Kindred in Los Angeles knows you since the Prince spared your life, not to mention how you both survived that huge explosion." She smiled curiously. "All that was seen was the Sheriff bringing you back to your haven." So that's how Katherine had ended up there. Before she had to depart, she hoped she'd be able to thank the huge bulky shadow of the Prince. But how had LaCroix ended up in her haven?

"I was unconscious, so I can't tell you much more than you already know." Besides, LaCroix would rip her head off if she said anything about the Anarchs' trickery with the sarcophagus, that it had caught him totally unprepared. Katherine was sure that the Prince had come up with some cover story.

"I think that was better for your health," James grinned. "The Prince must have been really pissed off after you opened the Ankaran Sarcophagus without his permission, blowing up half of his tower."

"Oh, really?" she hissed, sarcasm oozing out from both words as her anger towards LaCroix just got more fuel. First keeping her silent and then using her as a scapegoat...

"I am a generous person, so I gave Miss Falkner a chance for redemption." LaCroix stepped into the office with the Sheriff behind him, giving them all a regnant gaze. "She had better not stretch my generosity any further."

"Of course, my Prince." Katherine hissed again, nearly vomiting the last word. Oh yes, he really needed this division of royal security guards or else she would've tried out her new P8, firing some bullets into his royal snobby face.

"Well, I know we will only be dealing with kine but stay on alert since only clan Ventrue is informed about this trip of mine." He grabbed his briefcase and straightened out his coat. "And since time is money stop idling around. We are leaving now." He turned around, going back to the elevator and the Sheriff didn't accompany him, just stared straight ahead with no emotion on his face like a statue.

"Hey, thanks for bringing me back to my haven the other night," Katherine said to him as she passed him on the way to the elevator. He showed no reaction but she had expected that. At least she was able to thank him.

As bad as this night had started, the trip was the greatest time Katherine had had since she was Embraced. She didn't know when she'd had this much fun in these last nights, but as long as LaCroix wasn't around it was like being with your company in the military, and LaCroix wasn't often around. He was in his limousine and Katherine and the others were just following him in their Hummer. And the plane was a private one in which the Prince had his own section. They made jokes and the best part of it all, in Katherine's opinion, was that there was no mention of LaCroix.

She learned that Caleb also had family, but they weren't on good terms so he didn't bother to contact them since his Embrace 20 years ago. He at least knew how she felt at the moment, and as LaCroix at last bothered to inform them where exactly their trip went Katherine really needed some comfort. Trier was just a small hop away from her parents' house. Just great, and as soon she was able to Katherine would tell him that she would not be going back to Los Angeles.

At least the job was a real change from the last one LaCroix had for her: This was not suicide. Still, she had no idea why a foundation would need investors. As far as she knew a foundation was a charity organisation, and the funds were raised by a company. LaCroix's company. So what was the point of finding investors? And furthermore why Trier? It wasn't really known as the heartland of financial business. Why not Frankfurt? It was approximately just 100 km away from Trier. Katherine decided not to think about it anymore. Without a doubt there was no point in doing that. So she just stood before the door together with Caleb, behind them a conference room filled with businessmen plus Elizabeth and James. Dean had an eye on the building.

"Hey Kat, you'd still like to visit your old ones?" Caleb asked her.

"Yeah and as soon as Mr. LaCroix departs, I'll meet them. It's not his, well you know, domain." They'd been told to keep silent about Kindred-specific phrases.

"Hehe, I guess so but I doubt he will let you stay here," he smiled.

"Probably." She sighed. "But what can he do? It's out of his range. This is not Los Angeles."

"Right, but as far as I know he has a very long arm here in Europe. You know us. We stick together." Caleb was hinting about clan Ventrue, about how they would always help another clan member in need.

"So go. Meet them and I'll cover for you." He gave Katherine a wink.

"What? You're serious?" She couldn't believe her luck.

"I'll help you now; you'll help me out some other time. It's a deal and you have my word. LaCroix won't know anything about you visiting your family." Again he smiled and Katherine smiled back. "The others will keep quiet too. I promise. Just have your mobile on so that I can call you if there's trouble."

"I owe you one! Thanks Caleb." And she left him there alone with a happy face. She could see her family! Well, she looked a bit strange in her 'mafia outfit' but that wasn't really important! She was so happy to finally be able to see the faces of her parents and little brother. Certainly Katherine still had no idea what to tell them, but she had time right? It's not like the word 'vampire' was written all over her face.

She found a car rental fast enough, and since LaCroix had paid her a good amount for her last orders her bank account was full, and she was able to pick an Audi A8. She'd always wanted to drive that car and it was fast. She wanted to see her family as fast as possible, screw the speed limits! With a breakneck driving style Katherine sped off to Spangdahlem.

* * *

AN: I know you won't believe me but actually LaCroix really sung 'Little Boxes'! I SWEAR TO GOD I'M NOT KIDDING YOU! Still don't believe me? Pics or it didn't happen? You really want to hear it? I warn you...it will never, NEVER EVER be the same when you play the game and meet him in his office.

.com/watch?v=hudN0pE4piI

Weeds rocks! I love that show and I always wondered why Andy Milder sounded so familiar till I Googled it up...That's why the Sheriff is so silent. He always has a karaoke contest with the Prince every night and he's just husky because of that.

And they're all made out of ticky-tacky


	10. But the present hits back fast

The road from Trier to Spangdahlem was familiar to Katherine. She often drove this way because Spangdahlem was a small village with no more than 800 inhabitants. No comparison to Trier or even Los Angeles! So when she and Tobias wanted to go out, they always went to Trier.

With squealing tires and perhaps burning brakes Katherine arrived at her parents' house after just half an hour, ignoring the speed limit of 100 km/h on the Bundesstraße and the 50 km/h speed limit in the village. The Audi was really no comparison to her small Fiat which still was parked in the airport's parking lot. She would get it back later.

Still smiling she opened the entrance door with her key, rang the bell and stepped inside. Usually she didn't ring it but it was late at night, her parents were without a doubt asleep and Katherine didn't want to scare them. She also let some blood flow into the uppermost layer of her skin to appear healthy.

"Mom! Dad! I'm ---" She sniffed the air as she closed the door. "---back?" Katherine whispered and immediately dragged the gun out of her shoulder holster. The sweet smell of blood was something a vampire could naturally recognise immediately. Her senses sharpened like a predator and she could nearly taste the red liquid on her tongue. It was fresh and still warm. Only a few minutes must have passed since it was spilled but that wasn't what concerned her; it was the fact that it was a huge amount of blood that she could smell.

Katherine unlocked her gun. It was a fast and smooth action she had done during her years in the military. Holding the gun in front of her, she pulled the trigger _'_til the latch so she could fire with minor reaction time. As silently as possible she closed the door, but it sounded to her like a loud explosion.

It was dark in the house, and only the streetlights from outside the windows lightened the room in which the stairs lead into the first floor, where her parents' bedroom was. Where the smell of blood came from.

"God, please, let them be unharmed. Let it just be this vampire thing." Katherine wasn't really a devout person, but her parents were and she was raised with the faith. Since she became a vampire – a descendant of Caine! – she had really paid faith to God more attention. Even if the deceased Bach claimed that vampires were discarded in the eyes of God.

On silent feet she sneaked up the stairs, the smell of the blood getting more intense with each step she made.

"Mom? Dad? It's me Kat, are you all right?" she asked the darkness, hoping to get a response as something in the shadows moved. No, not something in the shadows, it was the shadow itself! With a blink she pointed the gun barrel at the spot, but there was nothing. Just the shadow play of an outside tree on the white wall.

"Okay, you're getting nervous. Stay calm, stay calm and focus like in the sewers with those Tzimisce creatures." But this wasn't some sewer somewhere in Los Angeles; this was the home of her parents! How could she possibly stay focused? Also, she was now certain that the bloody odour came from her parents' room, so she paced to the door and slammed it open with the gun in front of her. Where her gaze went, the barrel of the gun followed.

There was blood everywhere. On the bed sheets, the wall, the floor and in-between the remains of a human body. She had seen a lot in her time as a vampire but this view was the most horrible she'd ever faced in her entire unlife.

"Mom? Dad?" Katherine's voice trembled, nothing more than a whisper. Then she heard a scratch on the ground and lifted the gun again, prowling to the source. It came from one of the bedsides and as she saw the source, Katherine dropped the gun. It was her father, covered in blood and in his trembling arms, cradled like a baby, was the head of her mother. Only the head. She could recognise it because of the hair colour.

Katherine wasn't able to speak, just stare. At the moment she had her own fight: The fight not to let the Beast take control over her as her thoughts were spinning. Who did that? What did that? WHY? Kill him or it! Let your fear out, let the anger control your hand! Use your rage!

"Nononono." She wouldn't frenzy here. Katherine wanted to cry, to scream but she couldn't. Instead she looked into the glassy eyes of her father.

"Dad, say something to me. Please...what happened?" She pleaded but the man gave no response. Her father, her proud father who was always an anchor in her life, an example for the small girl Katherine once was. To see her father that way hurt her nearly as much as the fact that her mother was dead. Killed by some psycho. Her hand slowly reached into her pocket where her mobile was, dialing 110 as if in a trance. What else could she do? Katherine was told to stay there, and of course she had no intentions of going anywhere until her mobile rang. Again like in trance she flipped it open.

"Yes?" It was Caleb.

"Kat, man I'm so sorry! I wasn't able to sneak out fast enough but if you're still on the way to your parents get there immediately! Somehow LaCroix found out that you were on your way there! I swear that my lips were sealed! He was raging, shouting around that he'd deal with it like he promised! Hey, are you alright?" the voice on the other end asked.

"I'm too late," she whispered, but anger arose in her again.

"What? Too late?" Caleb sounded confused.

"My mother is dead. Someone – something – killed her." Again her voice trembled.

"Oh Kat, I'm so sorry. If, if I just would have known that LaCroix would deal with this in that way I—" Katherine interrupted him.

"LaCroix..." she snarled. Yes, of course. He was the only one who'd had a problem with it. He said he would deal with it in his own way, if she wouldn't obey. LaCroix killed her mother!

"Kat? Kat? Hey are you—" She closed her mobile, grabbing her gun and racing out of the house with her fangs bared. She just wanted to go to LaCroix, to pump some lead into his fucking head! No, to tear him apart with her own bare hands!

This time she was even faster back to Trier at the conference hall, where Caleb was standing outside waiting for her.

"Kat! Kat! Just stop! Hey, I know you're pretty pissed but he's the goddamn Prince and we, _I_, am responsible for his security! I can't just let you go in there and rampage!" He grabbed her shoulder but Katherine just dragged out her gun again, holding it under Caleb's chin.

"Just don't cross my way!" she hissed.

"Kat...please. Calm down. Think about this," he persisted.

"THE TIME TO THINK IS OVER!" Katherine shouted. She didn't want to hear it anymore. Enough with the musings! It was time to correct the mistake she'd made on the tower roof.

Caleb lifted his hands in defeat.

"Then I'll follow you. But if you really want to harm the Prince..." He left the fulmination unfinished as Katherine was already on her way to LaCroix.

At the door Elizabeth was waiting for her, giving Katherine a worried gaze.

"You don't look so good. Why do you have your gun in your—" That was all she was able to say as a full round of bullets hit her head, and she was nothing more than ash before she even fell to the ground. Behind Katherine, Caleb reloaded his gun.

"Ventrue stick together, right? Again you're in my debt," he said and looked at her surprised face.

"Why?"

"I have my own grudge against LaCroix, and I can just understand you." Caleb smiled but Katherine was not able to give him a smile back. She only nodded and opened the door to the conference room where LaCroix was alone. Perfect.

"What was this shooting outside?" he demanded to know and neither of them responded. LaCroix frowned and looked at them displeased.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" he hissed impatiently and Katherine lifted her gun, pointing it directly at LaCroix's face.

"You killed them," she snarled.

"What are you talking about? Who should I have killed?" he responded, annoyed.

"He's lying Kat. I heard it. All of it," Caleb objected. "You know him. He lies to us all the time, pretending to just want the best for us. He killed your sire, he killed your mother and he tried to kill you."

"This is ridiculous!" LaCroix's tone was now sharp and angry. "Stop this nonsense now and I may overlook this insubordination!" The Prince was getting really angry, his eyebrows constricting like clouds in the sky when a storm was coming.

Katherine's gun arm wasn't shaking, but inside of her some of the rage and anger lifted. It fought against the burning desire to avenge her mother and to hurt LaCroix. Some voice which begged her not to succumb to the Beast and another voice which pleaded not to harm the Prince; but then there was the Beast. A loud and dormant voice of pure rage, shouting to pull the trigger.

"Lebe wohl, mein Prinz," Katherine whispered and pulled the trigger.

* * *

AN: Cliffhanger! Don't you love 'em? Bwahahaha!

Bundesstraße is a federal highway, but those streets can also lead through cities. They are for regional traffic between, well, different regions. Obvious, huh?

110 is the police call. Unlike in the US, the European Union has two different emergency numbers. For the police 110, the firefighters 112 and ambulance is also 112.

"Lebe wohl, mein Prinz" - "Farewell, my Prince."

Ok, ok...I stop ranting...

and they all look just the same...


	11. And the Queen betrays

Katherine could remember how she'd had a phone conversation with her mother once when she still had to get through her basic military service, and how frustrated she was with a topic the instructor brought up. He had told them how important it was to obey their orders, but not to listen to them blindly. _What then was the point in an order?_ she'd asked her mother who chuckled on the other end of the line. So her mother asked her: _"What would you do, if you received an order which may be morally wrong when you think about it a bit?_ _Even soldiers are humans and not machines, and when a small part of you thinks something is false what you should do, is listen to it carefully. So you won't regret the decision you make."_

But she wasn't human anymore.

Katherine's mother hadn't been very happy about her daughter's decision to join the military. What mother would be? But she never showed it to her in the open.

The magazine of Katherine's gun was empty. She fired all ten bullets out of the clip and the last cartouche fell to the ground.

Caleb was still standing behind her and had a confused expression on his face. Katherine's aim was off, because she had to turn around fast.

"Kat, why? What is this?" he asked, startled, but she knew it was just faked.

"It was the moment you said, that you have your own grudge against the Prince. It was just too perfect and what a coincidence! Some days ago there was a Kuei-Jin bitch who tried the same shit as you to manipulate me. And you killed Liz without a blink." She let the empty clip fall to the ground and grabbed at her belt for a new one.

"But he ordered to have your mother killed!" Caleb pointed at LaCroix who raised an eyebrow.

"Humans are as easy to deceive as they are to kill. After this came to my mind I realized that this slaughter was not LaCroix's style." Katherine raised her gun, aiming at Caleb's face which now looked angry. "And my mother once told me to think twice." But it was more than a bluff. Katherine just wasn't able to harm LaCroix, and a small voice inside her was desperately unwilling to believe that the Prince would do such thing. Probably this belief about him was naive, but there was still a lot off about this ominous trip. LaCroix had said Strauss would be his substitute, but just yesterday he told them all that only clan Ventrue had knowledge of this business trip, and on the other hand: She was ordered to protect LaCroix. Sometimes it was better to obey an order without mixing in emotions. She wanted some answers for the sake of her mother. She wouldn't have been happy if her daughter went around firing like nuts, killing people even when they were already dead or assholes like the Prince. So, yes. It was literally a total shot in the dark, with her hoping for the best.

"So you don't want to pay me back. That's really sad Katherine. I thought you Ventrue were all about noblesse oblige." Caleb laughed and the shadows in the room started moving, slowly gaining some sort of form like a long arm. What the hell was that now?

Without any hesitation Katherine fired at the other Kindred, but she was not fast enough and he moved out of the way, dodging the bullets to the left and shooting at Katherine in return. Caleb's bullets found their way through her chest, tearing three holes though Katherine was unaffected thanks to her fortitude; but now this creepy shadow arm, or rather tentacle was moving towards her, grasping her right ankle. She lost her balance and fell to the ground, but still had her gun in hand and fired at the tentacle thing.

"What the fuck is this shit?" she gasped as the shadowy tentacle vanished, and on top of that this was her last clip. This was bad. Really bad, but as she heard Caleb scream in agony Katherine looked up.

LaCroix stood behind Caleb, holding a sabre in a perfect fencing stance – as far as Katherine could judge – the blade piercing into his back. With a fluid motion the Prince dragged the blade out of Caleb's chest, blood flinging in drops from the blade as LaCroix swung it back to lunge for a swing at Caleb's weapon hand. Good grief! Katherine hadn't forgotten about the Prince but she didn't think of him as someone who would lower himself to participating in a fight. Obviously Caleb must have thought the same. A very bad mistake. Katherine would not forget that LaCroix could, even without the Sheriff, produce a nice Kindred shish kebob. But Caleb let his weapon fall, gripping the blade with his bare hands and breaking it like it was nothing more than tinfoil. Katherine reacted fast by pushing herself up with her feet from the ground, diving like a goalkeeper to the gun Caleb had let fall while firing the remaining bullets of the clip at him. With an angry snarl he took them and let the broken blade fall to make a run for the exit. Katherine couldn't get up fast enough to chase him and what was the point anyway? She was out of ammo and LaCroix held up the broken blade with an unpleasant face.

"This was a present from the local Prince! A cheap replica, but nonetheless I will subtract this from your loan." With a disgusted snort he threw the hilt into a corner. Great. As if she did not have enough other problems besides her loan. "Furthermore, your inappropriate behaviour, your violation against my orders and my subsequent exposure to a severe threat is more than your loan covers."

"I really have more worries than my loan." Katherine got up from the ground and concentrated on the bruise on her shoulder to let it heal, and LaCroix gave her a frown as Dean and James stormed into the room, guns pointed at Katherine.

"Just don't do anything dumb!" Dean shouted and Katherine immediately lifted her hands to show them that she was unarmed.

"What?" With a confused face she looked at them, as the Prince finally interfered.

"What are you doing? Get Mr. Walker dead or alive! He's a spy for the Sabbat," LaCroix snapped at them with an murderous gaze that wouldn't tolerate questions. "Move!" And as confused as they were, they started chasing Caleb who was by now probably far away. LaCroix focused on Katherine.

"It seems that I need to repeat myself very often these nights," he sighed, and Katherine gave him a short explanation of what had happened at her parents' house and what Caleb said to her.

"Fool! That is why I prohibited you from seeing those kine! As if everything wasn't complicated enough, this is just perfect!" he spat and grabbed his cell out of his pocket, dialing a number. Seemed like he was activating some relationship that could cover up the slaughter of her mother and what had happened here.

"Care to enlighten me...sir?" she growled as he finished the call and LaCroix gave her an annoyed gaze.

"This was an attempt to lure out the Sabbat both in Los Angeles and here! It was also a favour to the Ventrue Primogen for his vote. The Lasombra have been quite a thorn in the side of the Prince of Trier. As you know our politics is a very complicated fabric, and that fool never told me that he had a spy in his ranks!" Now he was really angry. Katherine could easily tell this from the way he moved his head in a fast jerk and his cramped jaw. "He certainly knew this and used me to get rid of him, or perhaps he used the spy in an attempt to get rid of me!" Furthermore he was walking up and down like a man obsessed. "He will pay a high price for this act of treason!"

"I need an alibi," Katherine said with haste. She remembered now having called the police. "I need..." It was hard for her to say it, like these words were poison. LaCroix stopped his obsessive prowling, focusing on Katherine who immediately cringed at the intense gaze. Well, it was obvious that he was not amused about being used as bait. That was the point when Katherine realised that she and the others were the bait. How lovely. So much for the idea that they would only be dealing with humans.

"...I need your help." There! She said it.

"This will cost you more than a monthly loan. My time is precious," he hissed and Katherine nodded. Now she knew how it felt to sell your soul to the devil and she would probably have to work for LaCroix for the rest of eternity, but it was better than being framed for the murder of her own mother and when she would die her final death, not being able to find the real culprit.

"Then stop wasting my time and let us go," he ordered and Katherine guided him to the car, but the damn limousine was gone, giving LaCroix's bad mood some more nourishment.

"This vessel is not fitting for a superior ruler like myself!" The Prince crossed his arms before his chest and gave Katherine a snide gaze. God! This was a freaking Audi A8! What would he have said if she had her Fiat Punto here?

"I'm terribly sorry Prince LaCroix, but this is the only car we have at the moment. As you said, time is money and this car is faster than a limousine." _"Just don't sound pissed!"_ Really! Her mother just died and this pompous ass had nothing better to than complain about a damn car! But then again she needed his help.

LaCroix snorted. "Fine." Then he just stood there and waited. What did he want? Oh yes, of course. Katherine opened the door to the front seat on the passenger side and let the Prince get in the car. _"Snob." _And with her neck-breaking driving style, she sped off.

"What was that lie with Strauss?" she asked him, taking a curve with way too much speed.

"Would you mind not trying to kill me with this ruthless style you call driving?" LaCroix complained and Katherine rolled her eyes.

"You are the first one to complain, sir." What an irony. A dead corpse was complaining about her driving. She nearly had to laugh, but of course the death of her mother was still on her mind. Katherine didn't feel like laughing. "We are faster this way. Don't worry. This isn't Los Angeles, so there is not much traffic at this time and wild animals won't cross our lane." Or so she hoped and LaCroix sighed in agony. "So what's up now with Strauss? Since when are you both best buddies?" Katherine persisted on the topic and besides that, she didn't want to let this opportunity for answers pass.

"As I said before: The fabric of our society is complex. I reminded the Regent about the role of the Tremere, that they are our brothers in arms. And perhaps this is the reason the Ventrue Primogen was displeased, that Mr. Strauss has taken command over the city during my absence. He talked a bit too much," LaCroix explained, his hands digging into the seat as Katherine overtook a truck and nearly crashed into the oncoming traffic. "I think my time is not as precious as my life," LaCroix muttered while Katherine cursed at the honking truck driver behind them.

As they arrived at the house of Katherine's parents she buttoned up her suit so the bullet holes were covered and somehow, with the help of dominate and LaCroix, she had a waterproof alibi. Katherine was even allowed to leave Germany and she now understood that it was better this way, and she would leave everything behind regardless of how hard it was.

The next night they were ready to leave and Katherine was of course in a gloomy mood. LaCroix had explained to her that this was the handwriting of clan Lasombra, after complaining again about her driving. This clan was to clan Ventrue what the Tzimisce were to clan Tremere. Hated arch enemies. Dean didn't exchange a single word with her and when she asked James about it, he just shrugged, explaining to her that Dean looked pretty upset when he heard Elizabeth was dead. They'd met Caleb on the first floor, who said that Katherine was a traitor who had killed Elizabeth and was trying to kill the Prince. Just great, and as if that hadn't been enough her past didn't want to let her get off this easily and she just had to meet Tobias at the airport. Without a doubt he had waited there for her, and this information he must have gotten from someone at Spangdahlem. Gossip there was spreading faster than in Los Angeles.

"Kat!" he yelled and ran towards her, giving her a hug. "I'm so sorry honey. I heard all about it. Why didn't you call me?" He looked at her worried with his blue eyes. Tobias was tall and of a sturdy build. Shit! What should she do now?

"Tobias listen. I..I want to start a new life in America. What happened to my mother...I just can't stay here." Wow, that was kind of a weak excuse.

"No problem. I understand and I'll come with you of course. We'll work this out together for sure." He smiled at her brightly and Katherine felt instantly bad.

"You didn't listen. I want to start a new life. Alone and without you." She shoved him away and he looked confused. The feelings of remorse and guilt just got worse.

"Kat I can understand that you are hurt by what happened. You're still in shock. We will overcome this together! Don't you remember what we promised?" Now he looked a bit desperate and Katherine was considering dominating him. She knew that it was for his own safety to let Tobias go. Their worlds weren't one anymore; she wasn't even a human.

"Tobias, look into my eyes and---" She grabbed his arms as LaCroix interrupted them. He also had Dean and James in tow.

"Why are you idling around again?" He lifted an eyebrow and took in Tobias with an arrogant gaze, then giving Katherine a 'you-know-how-this-will-end' look.

"I have to go." Katherine let him loose and walked toward LaCroix and the other Kindred.

"The police said you were in company of some strange people. Kat, if you got into something mafia-like I can help you! We'll go to the police and figure it out," he persisted.

At this moment she had an idea. An idea which would shoo Tobias away and break his heart, but would also ensure that he'd never try to contact her again. She grabbed LaCroix's hand and gave him a sugary sweet smile. Oh god, she was as good as dead. She'd have to blame it on the dementation from Ophelia afterwards.

"Nothing important my dear, just someone from the past." She hated every single word which passed her lips, but surprisingly LaCroix just stared at her curious, not angry while Tobias was totally confused.

"This is something you have to explain to me, Kat," Tobias whispered like his mind was slowly beginning to understand.

"Well, I found a new love in America and Sebastian is just astonishing! He has status, manners and a lot of money. You are nothing compared to him." Please, someone hand her a gun.

"You're lying." Tobias was quite stubborn but Katherine could hear how his voice was shaking, and to plunge him deeper into his misery she laid her hand on LaCroix's neck, giving him an intimate kiss and again she hated it but somehow it was, well, pleasant. His lips were soft and warm because of the blood he let flow under his skin. She could nearly taste it and it was quite difficult not to plunge her fangs into his lips but on top of that he returned the kiss, touching her cheek with his hand. So she broke the kiss with a puzzled face but Tobias believed it nonetheless. He really looked like he was about to burst into tears.

"Do not even try to contact me, or his organisation will take care of you in an unpleasant way." She smiled poisonously and he nodded.

"I understand." His voice was cracking. "Take...take care." Tobias swallowed and turned around, walking away with Katherine looking after him, hating herself for what she had said and done to him but it was for the best. She needed to make that cut but somehow she could feel that something had died in her.

"You are not persuasive but quite intimidating. This is not how we deal with such situations." LaCroix sounded amused and she didn't look at him. "Why are you so clingy to this kine?" he mused and Katherine looked at him angrily. He probably enjoyed it when she was suffering in some way. Bastard.

"Don't you have a person that you care about?" she hissed between her teeth and tried not to sound too disrespectful, but it was really hard.

"In fact I do," the Prince replied and this surprised her. That came totally out of the blue, so she just stared at him. Who wouldn't? Even Dean and James gave him an odd look. "But she is quite displeased with my...caring." He smiled and again had an amused tone.

"Oh, I just can't understand how any woman could turn you down," Katherine said in a sarcastic tone she didn't intend, jealousy oozing between every word. Why was she even jealous? Goddamn!

"Would you please not crush my hand?" LaCroix gave her a smug look. What? She was still holding his hand?

"I'm begging pardon, sir!" She let his hand free. Damn! Why did she again sound like she was in a fury? Because LaCroix had some sort of girlfriend?

"That I helped you again has its price. I'm just reminding you." He pulled her out of her musings.

"Yes, sir!" Just great. He's really enjoying this, Katherine thought as they walked to the terminal. James leaned down to her.

"I really don't want to be in your skin when he announces the price for this," he whispered.

"Believe me, me too," she whispered back, her gaze throwing daggers at LaCroix's back. Why didn't she pick James?

"But the rumours seem to be true." Now he had her full attention.

"What rumours?" She jumped on Kindred gossip. How great.

"About the Prince having sired a childe," James mumbled and Katherine's jealousy level just rose off the scale.

* * *

AN: Jeez what a chapter! I don't know what to think about it. Sometimes I think it's the best one and then again I think it just sucks, especially the fighting scene. I'm not R.A. Salvatore but thanks to Vivienne, who inspired this idea about a sabre-swinging LaCroix in our PMs! We were both a bit disappointed that there was no epic fight with the Prince after you kicked the Sheriff's butt.

Ah, yes and the disciplines Caleb used were obtenebration (Arms of the Abyss) and then potence.

And as you realized I changed the title of the story, because it was first planned as a one-shot but now, as the story evolves, it was just not fitting anymore imho. Who gets the allusion to a very famous piece of literacy? The winner will receive a....COOKIE!


	12. Pandora's envelope

**This chapter is dedicaded to Vivienne, especially a very special part of it! Thank you again for the inspiration and your endurance to ease the torment of the english language which I bring upon it.**

* * *

It was just a rumour, right? That sentence alone was Katherine's mantra throughout the flight back to Los Angeles, and often enough her mind also wandered back to the latest events surrounding her family. Of course it sounded easy to just cut off the contact. Way easier said than done. She searched for excuses, particularly for her behaviour towards Tobias. It was for their safety and that justified the means, didn't it? But there was still a bitter taste to it. Katherine couldn't even imagine how her father would react about her not coming back, that is if he ever was to realise it. The psychologists said that he'd suffered a severe trauma, and that it affected him in a way they couldn't yet tell. Everyone could only guess at what horrors he had seen besides the gory death of his wife.

Dean and James were both silent, and in Dean's case Katherine was somehow convinced that she had made a new enemy. Again. Just one more person on a long list. He was pretty cold towards her, not even speaking a single word to her and she assumed that he was blaming her for Elizabeth's death. Katherine couldn't understand that. She didn't pull the trigger, right? Again it sounded more like a lame excuse, but it was certainly easier that way and how could she understand someone else when she wasn't even able to understand her own actions? She could still feel his warm lips on hers, tasting the faint flavour of his vitae, sweet like ambrosia. Katherine wanted to rip these thoughts out of her head, and buried her head in her hands. This was not right! It felt like she was cheating on Tobias and furthermore behaving like a lovesick teenager! _'LaCroix maybe has a childe.'_ It just sounded wrong in her ears. Katherine had never wasted a thought about the Prince having some sort of private life. He was just, well, Prince LaCroix and not Sebastian LaCroix. It was somehow hard for her to grasp yet even that could fit in her head, but a childe? It was like an only child getting an unwanted brother or sister, and being afraid of losing the affection of her parents to the intruder. Katherine was afraid that LaCroix would abandon her. It wasn't hard to imagine that he would do so without a flinch, since she was sired illegally and picked up by him as a sign of generosity. Wrong, not even that. _What I'm offering you is not generosity, _he'd said to her after the procedure at the Nocturne Theatre. Katherine wanted to bang her head against the window of the plane. It was the kind of situation where you just needed some good strong booze to cloud your head, because you're fed up with all of the problems. A good Korn would be nice, a double Korn even better but then again: Vampires can't eat or drink!

"Fuck!" she hissed silently and punched the wall with her fist. First she lost her family and her future fiancé, and now she was about to lose her step-sire? It was just a rumour but the Beast was awake again.

Furthermore Caleb was able to escape, and it was clear that he'd had something to do with the murder of her mother - and Katherine had only a slim hope of getting her hands on him again. Nearly the whole Kindred community of Trier was on a Sabbat hunt since last night, and Caleb was of course included as one of the prey. She was angry not to be the one who could squeeze every bit of information out of him and then end his life once and for all, and that's why she hoped that he would survive.

At the Venture Tower their ways parted and Katherine was relieved that she hadn't had to look straight at LaCroix's face as he rushed without a word into the tower. She only exchanged words with James, as Dean still ignored her. That didn't bother her either and months passed. Nearly every night the Prince called for her, giving her some minor errand job or having her lend the Sheriff a hand, as if that would be necessary. Well, it was necessary since he could not split himself. After the mess with the Ankaran Sarcophagus, not only were the Anarchs on the march but also the Sabbat. When there was a Sabbat raid the Sheriff alone took out three or four Kindred at once, while it took effort for her to deal with even one of them. But she really got a bit better at this and after Mercurio acquired an HK G36 assault rifle for her, things got way easier. The Sheriff took out those with celerity (Katherine hated them, because they always dodged the bullets) and she secured his back and was better at talking when the Anarchs made problems. He was a silent companion; in fact he never ever spoke a single word, even when Katherine asked him what his name was because just calling him 'Sheriff' sounded a bit dumb. So she nicknamed him Derrick after a character from a TV series of the same name from Germany. Why? Good question, perhaps the bags under his eyes? The trench coat? Okay, both were total opposites but that was what made it funny in her opinion. And then there were the play-bodyguard-for-the-Prince assignments which she really despised, because she was only his bullet trap when he had dealings with humans. Katherine was somehow kept away from important Kindred society, or so was her impression.

Gary had even sent her the reward for the throwing star but she didn't open the envelope and forgot about it. She wasn't really eager to stare at a half-naked woman, instead looking at a family photo she had in her wallet, thinking every night about how they were doing. Still she wasn't able to cry and perhaps vampires couldn't do that. She didn't know and who should she ask? LaCroix? Oh please. That is not a question you ask the Prince.

Early this night she was called again by the Prince. His office penthouse had been rebuilt in a scarily fast effort and Katherine suspected that this was somehow odd, but at least it was now a fitting environment for LaCroix and she was familiar with dealing with him in his penthouse. It was nice to have at last, more or less, business as usual. She liked the status quo.

"Reporting in, sir." Katherine just spoke to him in the army way. It was easier that way not to remember what had happened at the airport, just staring at the old French gold and white decor. It was really like the blown up one, except for the missing paintings, and you could smell the fresh paint.

"I am pleased that you are quite useful in combination with the Sheriff," the Prince said in a bored tone. Katherine now knew how she had to understand this. It was a mere set phrase, a transition to get to the more important stuff. "So I am entrusting you now with a very important task: Tomorrow night there will be an initiation ceremony here at the rebuilt part of my tower. All important Kindred of clan Ventrue will be present and you are, together with the Sheriff, responsible for the security of this event." His gaze was more serious than usual.

"Yes sir," Katherine replied without any more comment, already making a mental list of what equipment she would need for the task.

"You have the position in the hall where the main event will occur." LaCroix stood up from his chair, now slowly walking up and down in front of his desk. "At this event I want no disturbances or trouble, as I introduce a new Kindred to our clan."

"Yes sir," Katherine replied again but clenched one of her hands into a fist. _"So this is it,"_ she thought bitterly. The rumours were true after all. The Ventrue were very cautious with their selection of a candidate to Embrace, and even after the Embrace the new fledgling was first trained by his sire before he was introduced to the whole community. Well, with her it had been a bit different of course. Katherine was first presented, then dropped out, then came Jack and so on but Jack wasn't a Ventrue. Katherine could remember how she'd taken the first sip of her preferred blood and later wondered why she hurled every other blood up since then. She was nearly crawling into LaCroix's office when he at last told her what the reason was. The only education she received were some brief moments between assignments, but James told her that this was not the usual way for clan Ventrue to teach their fledglings. They received an intense education by their sire, locked up for a week or even months and once the new Kindred was ready, he was finally presented in a pretty pompous way to the rest of the clan.

"Miss Falkner, are you actually paying attention to what I'm saying?" LaCroix's sharp voice dragged Katherine out of her thoughts. Darn, what should she say?

"No sir. I beg pardon for my insult." Better not to try to lie, because he would discover it anyway. The Prince gave her a displeased frown.

"Well, then you had better listen this time. I won't repeat myself again," LaCroix said in an annoyed tone. "I have arranged a new apartment for you in my tower, and at the moment your belongings are being transferred to it. Stay there for now until I call you again." Oh great, was this now some kind of arrest? Somehow it pleased her to be so close to him, but then again she was just the bullet trap.

"Thank you, sir." Katherine was also a bit curious about what kind of apartment it was, as the Prince handed her a key card. Somehow it really came in handy, because since she'd returned from Germany, Katherine sometimes had the impression that the shadows were watching her. Perhaps she was getting paranoid. As she was dismissed, she inspected the key card to learn where the apartment actually was. He hadn't told her that so she was pretty lost.

"That was quite dumb," she sighed, but Chunk must know the location! So after some detours she finally got to the right door which was, ironically, it was in the Prince's penthouse, but at the fourth floor and she prayed that he would never again receive a sarcophagus full of C4. The reason was obvious. Impatient she slid the key card through the lock and stepped in. She didn't think there could be a possible enhancement to her former apartment but there definitely was one, almost too much for her taste. It was in the same style as LaCroix's penthouse, minus all the gold and bling-bling stuff, but she was somehow certain that she would wake up one night and be blinded. The furniture was antique, probably more expensive than the computer that was in one of the rooms which was huge. Damn huge. It was twice the size of the old one, maybe more and she worried that she would get lost in here some night, blind from that bling-bling stuff.

Some boxes stood lost in the middle of the living room and without a doubt had her belongings inside. Since she was ordered to stay here until that royal snobby baby face Prince called for her again, she started to unpack them, and there she dug out again Gary's envelope which she still hadn't opened. Maybe this was now the time to do it? Just as she ripped half of it open a harsh sound went through the apartment and Katherine jerked, startled.

"Meet me at my office," a familiar voice crackled through the speakers of the intercom and Katherine sighed. That was kind of fast. She'd expected that LaCroix would let her wait until dawn.

"Wow. It's a Kat-Com," she joked, grimacing, and looked at the nearly opened envelope again. Oh well, she would open it on the way to the Prince's office. A pretty bad idea, she discovered really fast as she looked at the content of the brown envelope. Katherine knocked against the big door of the office but strangely no one responded. Hastily she folded the paper back into its envelope of doom, opening the door while rubbing her forehead. It was empty.

"What the..." Why did he call her, if he wasn't going to be present? Okay, she would wait again. With a groan Katherine sat down on one of the red, fancy chairs at the cosy fireplace, staring at the envelope with a rather horrified gaze. She could now understand why that Nosferatu had died for it, as Gary had written in the mail, and she could absolutely comprehend how brutal the death must have been. She did not know why her hand pulled out the poster again, or more or less why her eyes were glued to it. Perhaps because it was nothing she'd expected. The poster showed not a prominent female Kindred of Los Angeles - it showed a male, much more prominent one. It showed Sebastian LaCroix and by god, in what kind of environment and pose! There stood the Prince, how god made him, in a shower sliding a hand through his wet blond hair. Thankfully the shot was cut at his waist, so that more revealing insights were not given. His physique was not by any means comparable to Nines' or Jack's but unattractive the Prince was not either. LaCroix was slim but athletic and as Katherine's gaze inspected his frame further she came to the conclusion that he was really hiding a nice body under those expensive suits. She stopped at his neck, where she was able to see the fine lines of his tendons and she absently licked her lips. It was not the sight of his unveiled body which awakened in her some kind of longing she thought had died after her Embrace; it was just the sight of his pale, bare neck.

"He really has no need to hide that," she muttered and wanted to brush gently over the poster.

"Who does not need to hide what?" a voice with French accent asked and this time LaCroix didn't terrify Katherine, no he nearly caused her to die her final death. If she would have been mortal, he would without a doubt have just caused a stroke, paired with a heart attack after she wet her pants. Gladly she held the poster before her face, so that he wasn't able to see it. Yet.

"Nothing, sir!" Katherine jumped out of the chair like a snake had bitten her butt and folded the poster as fast as she could. LaCroix was not really convinced. Oh dear Lord...

"For nothing you were quite absorbed." Good grief! Couldn't he just let these things go instead of poking his nose further in? '_Lie to him! Just try! God! Think about your life!'_ A bad idea, hence that fact that he was able to discover her lies within a second.

"It is just the statement of the financial position of Club Confession, sir!" She nearly yelled it and LaCroix raised an eyebrow. Not good, not good.

"Oh I see. It already came to my attention some nights ago that you are involved with this establishment," he said and finally went to his desk, putting a briefcase on it and Katherine now realised that he was accompanied by the Sheriff. She gave him a small nod, but as usual he just took his position next to LaCroix and looked intimidating like he always did.

"It pleases me that you are stepping into financial business." He sat down and leaned back and Katherine couldn't believe her ears that he had swallowed the lie! She should mark this night in red on her calendar.

"But that is not the reason why I called you again." The Prince opened the briefcase and took some papers out. "These are instructions for tomorrow night's event. Study them and make sure you follow them exactly." Katherine stood up and grabbed the papers, making sure that the envelope of doom never left her hand. Briefly she read the instructions and one point made her worry.

"The minimum cost for the wardrobe exceeds my, err, budget." The Confession was not very profitable and all her money had gone into her new rifle plus ammunition. Mercurio was quite a bloodsucker in his own way and LaCroix still didn't believe that her debts were paid off. He frowned at her with a cold expression, reaching again into his briefcase and pulling out a golden credit card.

"See this as payment in advance." And he joined his hands as if he now somehow expected words of gratitude.

"Thank you, sir." Katherine sounded tormented at the outlook of doing more unpaid work for the Prince and took the card. Usually she would smile widely. What woman wouldn't do that with a goddamn golden credit card in her hands, but this thing just felt like a burden and as she was dismissed again, Katherine looked at it like it was some sort of bomb which was going to explode in her face at any minute.

Not that she was fed up with that 'bomb-exploding-in-her-face' topic.

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AN: Fun fact about the prologue: It was written while listening to Attaque 77 - Espejo. I just really got me into the mood to write it finally down after 4 years.


	13. Shadow on the wall

Katherine was still stiff and cramped when she went on her way back to her new apartment. Why in all heavens didn't Gary warn her about this content, which could cause a Gehenna-like explosion? Like putting on it in big red letters words warning not to open that thing in LaCroix's office? Well, he had warned her, but again he was not specific!

As soon as she arrived at her new dwelling, Katherine searched for a secure and hidden place to hide the poster. She could burn it or something but a voice inside her said that that would be a waste. Perhaps Ophelia's dementation. Great. So she placed it behind some books on a bookshelf, which she wouldn't touch because all of them were written in French and she had no sympathy for that language, caused by a teacher in her youth. Her empathy with it had been tainted and the Prince really didn't help to cleanse it. Quite the opposite. With the envelope of doom buried behind those books Katherine now dedicated herself to her next problem: The golden Visa credit card of torment and eternal unpaid work for the Prince.

Better to study the list a bit more precisely. It was written in LaCroix's handwriting which was pretty elegant and somehow graceful, but she had no time to give him credit for that now. There were a lot of rules in it about how she was to behave, like to not talk to the guests unless asked, to stay off to the side and not look noticeable at all blah, blah, blah. Not that she didn't know how to do that. More concerned was she about the dress code, because of the crazy amount of money she had to spend for it. How could such stupid clothing cost more than 5.000$? That was insane! Well, apparently not for LaCroix, who certainly had a bank account with so many zeros behind a digit that even Bill Gates would turn green with envy. Furthermore Katherine had no idea what kind of store in Los Angeles would sell such expensive fabric. Maybe Mercurio would have an idea and so she dialled his number. Gladly he knew of one but while she spoke with him her suspicions rose, as he found something funny but when asked about it just said it was nothing, and chuckled that he had a customer. So he needed to hang up. Odd.

On her way to this exclusive store Katherine studied the list further and sighed. No visible weapons allowed. Great, and how should she make it secure with only a gun? Something was off about the list. The rules of behaviour weren't new to her and as she thought more and more about it, the more Mercurio's odd behaviour fit and it became clear. He knew that LaCroix had outwitted her! How could the Prince have possibly known how much her wardrobe would cost if he wasn't going to be the one to pay for it? Would she leave the price tag on it? Of course not, and unless she paid for it with his credit card it was impossible for him to know. Now her debt would rise, and on top of that allow him to let her work some more without payment!

"Manipulative French bastard!" Katherine shouted as the insight came, hurling her fist down in anger at the padded seat of the taxi and gaining a startled look from the driver. She just gave him an angry gaze in return so that he would look back to the road, and as they arrived she slammed the door shut and paid the terrified driver who sped off. Strange. She was just angry, but usually never that scary when she was.

Katherine stepped into the very expensive and also exclusive looking store. In her mortal days, she wouldn't have even considered looking at it.

"Excuse me ma'am, may I help you?" the good and expensively dressed employee asked.

"Yes, I'm looking for something special for a celebration. Not too pompous but," she sighed. "Expensive." The man gave her a strange look, eyeing her up and down.

"Well, excuse me for asking but are you eligible to pay?" He smiled politely but somehow Katherine could see the distrust in his eyes. So she just pulled out LaCroix's golden credit card of doom, holding it in front of the man's nose. His eyes widened.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry Mrs. LaCroix! I wasn't aware that Mr. LaCroix was married! Please look around. I'll be back immediately with our manager to be at your service." His tone just got more than polite. It was nearly creepy but Katherine was more disturbed about what he'd said than that.

"I'm not his wife!" she snapped at him, angry like in the taxi. Before that happens, she'd rather consider running out into broad daylight than somehow being engaged to that manipulative French midget! The man didn't pay any attention as he left her alone to get the manager.

Katherine hadn't waited long when the manager came, again calling her Mrs. LaCroix.

"I'm NOT his wife!" she repeated again with more emphasis and got a cheery smile from the woman who introduced herself as Mrs. Cruz.

"I understand. It's not official right?" She gave Katherine a wink, who rolled her eyes in agony and to Katherine's horror she was dragged to the shining party dresses and it took her a good amount of time to explain that she was not in need of that, but rather something more casual. She decided to again go for the 'mafia-style' look, which was pretty unbelievable for Mrs. Cruz. Katherine was able to tell this from her doubting words, but the customer is king, right?

After several horrible hours and 6.000$ higher in her debt to LaCroix, she was nearly a wreck and the next person who called her Mrs. LaCroix would be strangled to death. Mercurio was as good as any.

Mercurio was lucky enough that Katherine wasn't in need of ammo, so his life was spared for this bad joke; but she wouldn't let him get away with it that cheaply. Hopefully the lovely Mrs. Cruz would ask LaCroix indiscreetly how his wife was doing. Then, in his royal fury, he would blame Katherine who could blame it on Mercurio so that the ghoul would be strangled by the Prince himself. A master plan!

Katherine had enough time to plan revenge on Mercurio while she stood against a wall beside all of the glamour at the celebration. Dressed in a black pantsuit with a white blouse and her P8 in a shoulder holster, she let her sight wander through all the guests. Of course LaCroix was in the middle of the action, dressed in – probably more expensively than her pantsuit – black smoking. She had to admit that he really looked fine, more than in his suit. Bad thought!

With a silent sigh her eyes wandered around again. Strangely she couldn't spot the Ventrue Primogen, but as a bunch of Kindred walked in her direction and stopped not far away from her, she was able to eavesdrop the reason. There had been a tragic fire in his villa, caused by some hunters, in which he had died. Katherine tried not to gasp, but that sounded way too familiar. It was all the same minus a Nines-mimicking Ming-Xiao and herself. Didn't LaCroix swear that the Primogen would pay for what had happened in Germany? She reconsidered her opinion about LaCroix for a bit as the said Prince took the time for an announcement. Immediately he had the attention of everyone in the room, including Katherine.

"My fellow brothers and sisters of Clan Ventrue. I am pleased to introduce this night a new Kindred into our ranks. She will make a valuable addition to our clan, since she is my childe," he smiled and there it was again. Katherine had been able to forget this fact more or less thanks to her work but now, well. Who could ignore it now? She clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth and clasping and unclasping her hands, as if it would help her to overcome this jealousy.

"Please let us welcome Cecilia Kingston." LaCroix started to clap and everyone, except Katherine, followed his example as the door swung open and a beautiful blonde woman stepped in. Her curly hair flowed like a golden river down to her pale shoulders and her blue eyes were mesmerizing. Even Katherine could tell that she'd had a ladylike education in her mortal days. She was dressed in a beautiful bordeaux coloured dress. LaCroix said some more, like when she was Embraced and so on. She'd been 24-years-old when she was Embraced and was also Embraced at nearly the same time as Katherine.

LaCroix then held her hand like a gentleman with a proud smile and all the Kindred in the room centered around them. Well, except for Katherine who was nearly exploding. She could feel how the poisonous feeling in her chest throttled every other clear thought in her mind, infecting it with just more of that envy like a virus. She wasn't ladylike. Of course she was not! No space for little dolls in the army and Katherine was rather androgynous, wearing her dark blonde hair in either a braid or bun hairstyle. Gladly the chatting crowd of Kindred blocked her view of LaCroix and his childe so that she had time to stomp the envy down.

"You're looking like you're going to murder someone," a person with an amused tone spoke to her and Katherine's head jerked fast to that direction, looking at James' amused smile.

"Do I?" she pressed between her teeth, trying not to sound pissed.

"So who pissed in your cup of coffee?" he asked, and the musicians started to play as the crowd made space for one dancing couple: LaCroix and Cecilia. Katherine wanted to hurl right now.

"A ghoul," she snapped and if she'd had breath, an angry gasp would have followed.

"I'm glad not to be that ghoul," he chuckled and took a sip out of his glass which distracted Katherine. Not because it was blood, but because it smelled alcoholic.

"Blood with alcohol?" she asked blandly, sizing up his glass. "I thought we couldn't drink alcohol."

"Oh, we can," James smiled, amused. "The donor only must be drunk when he donates his blood. Same goes for drugs but that is something we despise," he explained and that was the only good message of this night in her opinion.

"I see," she mumbled and the clapping of the crowd dragged her attention back to the hated sight of LaCroix and Cecilia.

"The Prince has made a really good choice with his childe," he steered the conversation into the topic of the night, and now Katherine was aware of the fact that James totally knew what was going on. Crap. "She's from a very wealthy and well-known family here in the U.S. They run a traditional business of antiques from Europe."

"Fascinating," she hissed, desperately trying not to let out that he'd hit a nerve and finally she turned to him, facing him directly. "Listen, I don't want to sound rude but why are you talking to me? I mean, no one is even supposed to talk to me, since I'm just a bullet trap in the worst case. So why don't you enjoy the party?" James laughed amusedly, and the musicians started anew as the dance floor filled with more Kindred.

"Oh, so you are still working to repay the debt? Oh come on, don't give me that look. I'm sorry that I poked fun at you. Want a dance?" He smiled and reached out to her with his hand, and Katherine looked at it like it was a poisonous snake.

"Let her be, James. She's just pissed that she's not the Prince's lapdog anymore." Dean emerged from behind James and gave Katherine a smug gaze.

"Hey, I'm not his lapdog, it's just—" Dean didn't let her finish, dragging James away from her who just shrugged his shoulders. If Katherine had ever wanted to run amok, then this was certainly such a situation to do so. Somehow she wished her feelings would just die like her body had.

The rest of the night she was busy trying to stomp her feelings down. Too bad vampires didn't need a breath of fresh air, or she could have stolen herself away from this torment. More than often she gave the couple a venomous gaze and sometimes she had the impression that the Prince stared in some brief moments back to her. But that was without a doubt just a stupid and unfulfilled wish from her.

At last the torment was over as the last guest left, leaving her and the Prince with his childe alone. Time to make a run and somehow get the pressure off, but no! LaCroix must have some sadistic vein.

"Miss Falkner? Would you please come over here?" LaCroix ordered and with a suppressed snarl Katherine turned around to obey. Time to shift back into military mode.

"Yes sir?" Katherine stood upright and straight before them.

"Oh, so you are the illegally sired fledgling." Cecilia had a melodic and clear voice. "It was so generous of Sebastian to pick you up."

Katherine needed to collect every bit of self-control she had remaining not to yell her next sentence.

"May I speak openly, sir?" she said loud but controlled.

"Please, go ahead." LaCroix waved, bored, with his hand.

"I have to correct you ma'am. It was great clemency, not generosity." Wow. Katherine never thought to bitch like that.

"Oh I see." Cecilia gave her a pitiful smile, and Katherine wanted to punch it off of her face.

"Asking to be dismissed, sir!" She wanted to go out, somewhere else without the Prince and his childe, to clear her head or to punch someone who couldn't defend himself.

"Yes, yes. You may go," he sounded bored again and Katherine just saluted, turning around on her heel and then walking towards the exit.

"I really hope to talk to you again, Katherine! My apartment is just one level above yours," Cecilia added before Katherine slammed the door behind her.

"You can bet on it. Mr. Heckler is really lonely," she snarled with a furious glance at the door, and then left the Venture Tower.

* * *

AN: HA! Did you see that coming?

The title of this chapter is inspired by a song from Mike Oldfield - Shadow on the Wall. I wrote this chapter while listening to that song and a song from Attaque 77 - Vórtice, where a girl named Cecilia suffers from violence in her family. No, not a hint on this Cecilia's story. I just liked the name.

Hope you enjoyed!


	14. Don't open it!

All of this was, in Katherine's opinion, just wrong. Cecilia called him Sebastian. It sounded in her ears like a cacophony of wrongly played musical notes, or nails scratching on a chalkboard.

Storming out of the tower, Katherine walked aimlessly through the streets of downtown L.A., and as she tried to pinpoint her location she stood before Club Confession. What should she do now? All thoughts were spiralling through her head in chaos, intervened only with strong emotions of hate and jealousy. Maybe it was a sign that Katherine now stood before the Confession? She could search for a human with her preference to somehow get drunk, but on the other hand something inside her said that there was another way to score off Cecilia. Wasn't LaCroix pretty satisfied that she had some holdings of Club Confession? The storm of thoughts and emotions in Katherine calmed slowly as she grasped the straw she'd just found. Perhaps it was time to be a real active partner with Venus rather than a silent one. With a slim smile she walked into the club, finding Venus at the bar as usual.

"Good evening Venus. Got some time to spare?" Her smile widened as her plan got clearer and clearer.

"Where have you been all these nights? Your money has been piling up," Venus responded, eyeing her. "What's with that getup?" Katherine was of course still in her way too expensive pantsuit.

"Just the remains of an awful night. Listen, I think there is a lot more potential in our club. Let's go into your office." She wouldn't try to dominate Venus, of course not. That would be pretty obvious.

"Our club?" she asked, a bit skeptical, but Katherine just kept smiling.

"If you listen to me, I assure you that our profits will rise. Come on, I helped you with the other problem, so why won't you trust me again this time?" Katherine was totally convinced that her calculations would work.

"I can't hear you! Let's go into my office!" Venus yelled and both of them walked out of the range of curious ears.

After a week the profits of Club Confession had a good boost because of some minor changes Katherine suggested. Venus hired a student to occupy the ticket office so that no one could slip in without paying, and as often as Katherine could she played the bouncer which was a piece of cake with dominate and a gun. She even went so far as to do the accounting instead of Venus. For her taste her partner was a bit sloppy with it and more than often Katherine found some expenses to retrench. It was a bit hard to combine her work with the club together with her assignments from the Prince, but all this work was a perfect distraction from Cecilia who was always in LaCroix's penthouse office when Katherine got a new assignment. Furthermore, she was able to avoid his childe because she was only in her own apartment during the day, immediately going off either to the club or to do the dirty work with the Sheriff.

But one night she came back a little bit earlier with a lot of accounting to do, since her computer at the tower was much more capable of that kind of work than Venus' old laptop. Katherine dumped the files onto her desk just as the 'Kat-Com' buzzed.

"Come immediately to my office, and I know you are there so don't even try to ignore this!" And it was silent again. Okay, that was not a good sign. LaCroix sounded controlled but his choice of words were an indicator of suppressed anger.

"Oh lord. What is it this time?" Katherine asked herself as she stood in the elevator which brought her up to the Prince's office. He had his damn credit card back, all of his assignments were fulfilled, so what could she have done to piss him off? Not talking to Cecilia? Was that a crime now? This time she would not bend like grass in the wind and with harsh steps she walked into his office, just to stop and walk a bit slower. The lights were out and only the fireplace together with the lights of the city illuminated the room. The Sheriff and even Cecilia weren't present.

LaCroix stood beside his desk, one hand on some paper which he was inspecting.

"You called, sir?" Katherine again stood upright and still, awaiting his outburst of anger because of some minor vanity, like not speaking to his precious Princess. Bah.

"Can you tell me what _this_ is?" he snapped at her, grabbing the paper from his desk and holding it right in front of her nose, his eyes burning with fury.

If she could still turn pale as a corpse, she would've done it now in a second. The Prince held the poster with his naked image in front of her.

Oh Lord Almighty.

"I...I...well, it---" she stuttered, her mind empty like her wallet.

"From where did you obtain it?" Furious he slammed the poster back on the desk, walking toward Katherine and looking her directly in the eyes. She looked away, and down to the parquet floor.

"Out of my mailbox," she whispered huskily and twitched as LaCroix touched her chin to force Katherine to look him directly in the eyes.

"From _whom_ did you obtain it?" the Prince snarled directly in her face and she could feel how his words were echoing in her head, forcing the words from her brain out of her mouth while she desperately tried to resist the urge.

"Gar---" she bit her tongue and LaCroix's eyebrows knitted together in anger. The Beast in Katherine screamed that she should run away. "Gary Golden," she gasped finally, losing against his strong domination.

"That cursed maggot!" he spat and with an angry movement he let loose Katherine's chin rather rudely so that her head was thrown to the left, but still focused on her.

"Why have you kept it?" LaCroix demanded to know, while Katherine tried to overcome her fear.

"How did you get it?" she tried to parry him but it was a rather poor try.

"I ask the questions!" the Prince said in a loud tone and she was able to recognise how he was boiling on the inside. Damn! The envelope had been behind all those books! How did he get his hands on it?

"How many other people saw this document besides you?" At last a question she could answer without risking her head even more, if it wasn't already too late for that.

"No one, I swear but honestly, sir. Are you spying on me?" Somehow that was a really disturbing thought.

"Of course not!" LaCroix snapped. "My books are in my tower, so it's legitimate that I am allowed to go there!" Ah shit! Katherine should have known that. The place was far from being as secure as she'd thought.

"I really considered burning it," she whispered, biting her lower lip.

"And why haven't you done that, instead of keeping it?" Oh darn. A very bad question. "Did you want to blackmail me with it?"

"No!" she hastily replied, digging in her brain for some kind of answer that wouldn't totally embarrass her in front of him. There were none and she kept silent.

"Don't tell me you like such immoral pictures. Those worldly things are for Toreadors," he said in a sharp tone and Katherine clenched her hand.

"No, it's not that." At least it wasn't a lie.

"Yeeees?" Oh no, not the long-drawn-out yes. Damn! But here she had the intuition to attack his pride.

"So are you implying that the Toreadors are superior to Ventrue in an area?" Katherine asked cautiously and what a surprise! She apparently got him. LaCroix raised an eyebrow and his intense gaze was locked to her face.

"That is of course not the case," he said autocratically, raising his nose. "We Ventrue are rulers, and rulers don't have time for such distractions." Katherine's lip flinched a bit.

"Napoleon had two spouses and even more mistresses. Do you imply that Napoleon wasn't a great ruler?" She turned the table on him again, and Katherine knew that she was walking on a very thin line.

"He was, but that is why he failed." He still focused on Katherine, like he was trying to understand the meaning behind her questions. Look who is talking, Mr. Sarcophagus-obsessed. She just wanted to somehow get the topic away from the poster and to get her ass out of his office alive.

"Wouldn't a Ventrue pick his confidants much more cautiously and wisely?" She wouldn't let him loose now! _'Just improvise!'_ Katherine tried to regain her self-confidence and LaCroix's gaze was now curious, as he gave her a snide smile.

"What are you trying to say, Miss Falkner?" he asked and Katherine smiled innocently, pretending not to have some sort of ulterior motive.

"I just want to learn sir." She praised herself in her mind for her good answer.

"Or do you want to seduce me?" LaCroix smiled widely and triumphantly, and Katherine's self-confidence was blown away by that surprising question.

"Sir, of course not! I would never dare to! As if I could seduce the Prince of Los Angeles. Ridiculous!" Shit! That just screamed of a yes instead of a no. Fuckfuckfuck!

"And what if I were to order you to seduce me?" Now it was Katherine's turn to look puzzled at the Prince.

"Sir, I do not understand your question." Military mode was the answer, but she wanted to leap backwards as he made a step closer to her.

"It is quite easy: You receive an order from your Prince. What do you do?" He smiled directly in her face. It was a predatory smile. Crap. A trick question.

"Of course obey." and Katherine could tell that she just walked straight into his trap. On top of that she had no idea what this trap could be, and that LaCroix just loosened his tie didn't help her search for answers.

"Sir?" she asked again in a weak tone, in hope of an answer, but he just smiled and unbuttoned his collar. Okay, now it was really time to get nervous as her eyes stared at his pale neck, again feeling a strange longing, and her eyes widened as she felt his chilly lips on hers. Katherine pressed her hands flat against his chest and tried to shove him away, but that was a more than weak protest against his doing, as she could taste the faint glimpse of blood on his lips and the small protesting voice in her mind died.

Intuitively she wandered down his bare neck with her lips, stopping at its curve.

"I know what you want and I allow you to take it." She was hardly able to hear LaCroix's words in her clouded mind as she plunged her fangs into his flesh, sucking forth the cold blood from out of his body. It burned more intensely than any blood she'd ever tasted, better than any warm human blood Katherine had been able to drink in her short amount of unlife. Perhaps only the sensation of her Embrace was comparable to it. His vitae was beguiling and she was eager to take more like a man dying from thirst would greedily drink water. Even as he ordered her to stop, she couldn't.

It was better than anything else she'd ever felt.

"Enough!" LaCroix said loudly and shoved her away with a strength Katherine could not match. Startled from the unexpected move of the Prince she bit her own tongue, tasting how her own blood mixed with that remaining from LaCroix. Confused she tried to regain her self-control.

"I...I'm begging pardon. It just---" She looked at him and his look silenced her in a split second. The Prince had something hungry in his eyes. Did she take too much? Before Katherine was able to ask, she got her answer as he pressed his lips hard against hers, forcing her mouth open to reach her bloody tongue. He turned her around to his desk and pressed her down, climbing up on it. Without letting her lips go, the Prince harshly ripped open her blouse and as he succeeded, he wandered immediately to her neck as his craving for blood was not soothed by the few drops from her tongue. His bite burned like fire but was then replaced by an indescribable, pleasant feeling, and a silent moan passed her lips as LaCroix took her blood like he had those few months ago on the tower roof.

It felt better than sex.

He'd only taken a few sips when the intercom buzzed persistently, and with a furious hiss LaCroix dragged his fangs out of Katherine's neck, punching a button on the intercom. It was a miracle that it didn't break into pieces.

"What?" the Prince hissed into it like a furious starving animal that had been interrupted at its feeding by an unwelcome guest, exposing bloody fangs to scare it off.

"Sir...err...there err..." It was poor Chunk, spluttering like he just pissed his pants and honestly, Katherine couldn't resent him for that. Were she not lying on a desk with LaCroix on top of her, she would without a doubt make a run for her life. The intercom crackled and a new voice from the other end was heard.

"Maximillian Strauss here, Mr. LaCroix you called for me." Strauss' voice was able to drag the Prince out of his near frenzy, and he looked a bit puzzled as he pressed the button again.

"Err, yes. Please come to the first level of my penthouse. I'll be there in several minutes," he said with his usual calmness and climbed off the desk and off of Katherine, walking toward the doors like she wasn't even there.

The first level of LaCroix's penthouse was just for dealings with humans, why did he – oh. Of course. She got up from the desk and looked at the mess, then followed LaCroix who threw the poster absently into the fire. As both of them stood in the elevator, neither of them spoke a word, just looking in any possible direction where the other was not standing. Katherine opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again as the elevator stopped at the sixth floor and LaCroix walked out into his personal level of the tower.

Perhaps it was really better to say nothing about this bizarre happening, but as things just weren't complicated enough, Katherine felt a desire burning in her to be near him like his blood now burned in her body. It was constrained, even worse than ever before. Silently she hoped that he would call her again the next night, as the elevator descended down to her apartment level.


	15. No soy un juguete

As Katherine was alone in the elevator, she leaned her back against the cold metal wall and closed her eyes. She had no idea where to start sorting out the mess in her head, and still being able to sense the feeling of LaCroix's cold vitae burning in her throat didn't help her to concentrate either. The elevator stopped with the usual 'bing,' and Katherine stumbled out as the door slid open, standing like an idiot before the door of her apartment. What in God's name just happened in the Prince's penthouse office? Somehow she was able to drag the card out of her pocket and slide it through the card reader. At least this much was clear: She had better start thinking about the option of not keeping personal stuff in here, since LaCroix had never heard of private space. It felt like she was 14 again and her parents were searching for drugs or whatever in her room; that in some way would be understandable, but LaCroix? Hell that was sick! She'd had no doubt that he was some kind of control freak, but this was a step too far! A little bit more collected, she walked back to her desk and opened one of the files from the Confession, but after five minutes she threw it back with a frustrated expression. Katherine was not able to concentrate and as if things weren't worse enough, the image of LaCroix always popped up in her mind. How he'd walked towards her, staring with cold grey but hypnotic eyes and giving her a slim smile of contempt, as his cold fingers touched her neck and his smooth lips brushed gently over hers.

STOP!

Katherine buried her face once more in her hands, her elbows resting on the desk.

"That is wrong, just so wrong!" she whispered, desperate. "Why won't you just leave me alone? I don't want this." _You lie to yourself_, her inner voice whispered. _You want this._ Angry she slammed her hands on the desk and jumped up.

"No I don't!" Katherine hissed into the empty room, clenching her fists.

_You trust him._

"He lied to me! He constantly used me and I'm such a stupid idiot to obey!" Angrily she shouted at the monitor of the computer, because she lacked anything else to focus on. Despite that she got an answer.

_You saved him._

"Because he pisses the Anarchs off more alive than dead!" They weren't any better than LaCroix but at least he didn't pretend to be a friend.

_You need him._

"I don't need that royal prick! I'm not his toy."

_You are his toy and so he's yours._

"Shut the fuck up!" Katherine yelled, wanting to punch with fury the monitor on the desk, but she stopped. What the hell was she doing right now? With a sigh she fell back into the chair and just stared at the files before her. It's the dementation, there was no other explanation. She was going insane, that's it, and perhaps it was better now to avoid LaCroix because it had something to do with him, right? Since that cursed night atop the tower roof everything in regard to the Prince just became a complicated mess she could not handle alone. Katherine wanted to talk with him about it, to ask him questions about why even he behaved strangely sometimes, like some minutes ago. But then again you didn't ask Prince Sebastian LaCroix such things without getting either a lecture or being thrown out.

"I'm not your toy," Katherine whispered again and this time only silence answered her as she stood up and let herself fall onto the bed, as she could feel how the sunrise was slowly coming. But her dreams once more wouldn't be a Prince-free sanctuary.

_She was still alive, a human as she met her sire Alexander at the seminar. Katherine knew it was not right to go with him, that she was cheating on Tobias but he would never know it, right? Alexander sat next to her and they talked silently, giving the speaking person in front of them no attention, and as it came to an end they still talked. Katherine agreed to go with him. Alexander just had to have a short talk with his boss, a short blond man dressed in an expensive looking dark grey suit._

_Katherine didn't pay attention to him, just to Alexander and without many objections she gave in to what he demanded as they were in his dwelling, which looked rather poor. It was dirty and pretty messed up like a cheap motel room on a frequented highway. But there was Alexander, holding her captive with his wondrous blue eyes and the night was long. Katherine was already exhausted, tired and nearly asleep as she heard his voice near her ear._

"_I want to show you something."_

_Katherine opened her eyes, seeing how Alexander leaned over her, but the image of her sire changed slowly. He had short blond hair, but it was now slightly longer and combed in an old fashion which would not fit into this century. His white shirt was replaced by a grey pinstriped one with a black tie, plus a dark grey jacket and Katherine could feel once again the confusion as cold grey eyes stared directly into hers like they would pierce through her soul, knowing everything in an instant about her, even her deepest desires and her darkest secrets._

_A choked and short scream passed Katherine's lips and her neck was burning like fire. Then everything faded while LaCroix took her life._

The dream was one of the most disturbing things she'd ever experienced.

Katherine suppressed the image of LaCroix in her mind that the dream had placed, walking out with harsh steps into Downtown. Hopefully there was some dirty work to do at the Confession, like kicking the butt of some drunken human who just wanted to make trouble. She didn't want to think about that crap in her brain, not even for a second! Perhaps later Katherine could think about a possible solution for this dementation madness. She didn't even bother to wait for an assignment from the Prince, because avoiding him was in her opinion a good idea. It bugged her to run away, since that was not typical for her but she wasn't able to go on like usual, pretending nothing happened.

The Confession was well-visited this night, which cheered Katherine's mood a little but not by much because everything was peaceful. No hooligans, no troublemakers whatsoever. Fate must hate her.

"Evening Venus, how's it going?" Katherine walked behind the bar and interrupted her partner rather rudely during a conversation with a guest. Venus, your friendly beat priestess.

"What are you doing here without paperwork?" And Katherine earned a surprised gaze.

"I wasn't in the mood for accounting. Are there any problems at the moment?" she asked in a pretty cold tone.

"Come on Kat, you can tell Venus what happened and that's not because I'm your beat priestess." Venus gave her a wink, but Katherine just rolled her eyes.

"Spare me the speech." She was really not in the mood for that.

"Whatever it was, it must have been bad," Venus chirped with a smile and dragged out an envelope from beneath the bar. "Here, this was delivered for you by a strange guy. In what kind of mess are you anyway? I hope you're not with the Yakuza or something." Venus gave her a sceptical gaze and Katherine just returned her a bugged one.

"The Tong are not really my friends after I shot some of their buddies, so don't worry." She grabbed the envelope, but as she looked at it her face turned puzzled. There were just three letters on it: An S, T and M written in a calligraphy more commonly known as textura quadrata, used in the Middle Ages in Europe. It was a letter from Maximillian Strauss.

"I think I have to go Venus." Katherine stood up, never letting the envelope out of her sight. While walking out of the Confession, she opened it.

_Please meet me at the chantry._

_M. Strauss_

Short but nonetheless unsettling in Katherine's opinion. What could Strauss want from her, and why was the message delivered to Venus and not to her apartment at the tower? Well there was a Prince sniffing around but why in all heavens should Strauss involve humans? More and more questions to give her a headache.

The Tremere chantry always gave Katherine the creeps. This magic stuff was more than unsettling and the first time she'd stepped into that magical house, Katherine had walked around it for more than an hour, always popping up back at the entrance! It nearly freaked her out, but then she just walked to the right and was mysteriously 'beamed' before Strauss' room, as happened now. She opened the door and like LaCroix's penthouse office, Strauss' room was in the style of his own century - but it wasn't a French style. Katherine guessed at last Germany or Austria from the late Middle Ages, but she never dared to ask the red-clothed blood mage about himself.

"Good evening, neonate." Strauss spoke with a calm, deep voice that was a massive counterpart to LaCroix's political one.

"Good evening, Regent. You called for me, so I'm here." In that same breath Katherine wanted to ask why she should have come, but she had the feeling that Strauss would tell her that at any minute.

"I have an urgent matter. The Masquerade depends on it, so I want to entrust this assignment to you, neonate." Katherine raised an eyebrow as she followed Strauss to a bookshelf.

"I'm sorry Regent but isn't that the Prince's task? I don't want to sound rude but please understand my concerns." That was really strange in her opinion, but Strauss just chuckled, amused, and pulled out a book.

"You sound just like the Prince himself. His education seems to be bearing fruit." Okay, Regent or not, that was an insult Katherine would not swallow.

"If this is all you had to say, I'm leaving," she said in a frosty tone and Strauss immediately looked at her, stopping to chuckle. Needless to say he was aware of the fact that his words just hit the wrong nerve.

"Forgive my words, if they were not appropriate. Did something happen between you and the Prince, neonate?" Strauss asked with a concerned face which surprised Katherine. Why was the Tremere concerned about such unimportant things?

"I think that is not important for the Masquerade, is it?" she replied in a sharp tone, but instantly reminded herself of who she was speaking with at the moment.

"It is more important than you think." The words he spoke sounded serious, and Strauss walked slowly to one of the sofas, sitting down.

"How could that be important?" God fucking dammit! Why did all vampires need to speak in riddles? Were clear answers somehow lethal to them? Strauss just raised a hand to keep Katherine silent.

"You may have seen and heard about the disease spreading through Downtown. We have evidence that this disease is of supernatural origin. I want you to investigate it, so that we can bring an end to it. If you succeed I will answer your questions, and even more." Now Strauss had her full attention. "Do we have an agreement, neonate?" Strauss asked, gazing over the frame of his glasses.

"We do, sir." Tremere or not, Katherine would grab any straw to receive answers and Strauss definitely knew a lot, that was not in question.

"Very well, our first clue is that of a Kindred named Jezebel Locke at the Empire Arms hotel. She is quite suspicious, as all kine who've had contact with her are infected with that disease. But be careful, neonate. We don't know anything more about Jezebel Locke." Again Katherine nodded.

"Yes, sir. See this case as good as closed." Strauss just smiled and opened the book, starting to read it. That was the sign for Katherine that she could leave and without hesitation she made her way to the Empire Arms hotel. She would feel better with her assault rifle, but walking into a hotel with a rifle hanging over her shoulder was not really subtle and perhaps she wouldn't even be in need of it. Hopefully she would be able to talk to Jezebel and get the information without having to pull the trigger of her gun.

* * *

AN: Wow, I finally awoke out of my booze coma. Absinthe with 89.9% vol. just kicks you out of your socks. Never drink that stuff pure (I mixed it, I don't want to commit suicide!). So the title is Castellano (obviously) and translated means 'I'm not a toy'. I think all argentinian readers now know that I listen to the album Karmageddon, right? Haha, yeah I love Attaque 77 and San Lorenzo didn't qualify for the Copa Libertadores! Booh! D: As if this week wasn't awful enough.

Well we're going into some action time! This chapter is more or less just a start-up. Darn, I'm so slow in pulling off the damn plot! Yes there is one, really!

A word on the use of disciplines in this fic: I use only the pen and paper versions of the disciplines, not how they are in the game. Yes, I'm one of those rule smartasses xD


	16. Fun with the pestilence

The Empire Arms hotel, a meeting point in the night for all who had more money than real friends. People like LaCroix.

"Oh god, dammit," Katherine mumbled to herself and shoved the Prince out of her mind again. Obviously she had her own disease which bugged her to death, but now it was time to concentrate on Strauss' assignment and not that stupid French bastard. This time the Prussians would not come to his aid! Well, she was not exactly from a former Prussian state, but the symbolism was the point and collecting herself again she walked to the receptionist, who stood behind an expensive looking wooden front desk.

"Good evening, is there a Jezebel Locke in this hotel?" Katherine just went straight to the point, not wasting any time.

"Yes there is. Miss Locke is a very special guest in our hotel, but she is busy," the man spoke and eyed Katherine up and down. Great, so this guy didn't want to talk. She looked him in the eyes and tried to dominate him.

"I'm Miss Locke's sister, so please let me up to her." Should be a piece of cake and the receptionist looked a bit absent.

"Miss Locke never told me that she had a foreign sister." Katherine clenched her fists, because the domination just failed obviously. Curse her accent! Well, Locke was here, that much was clear but how should she now get to her?

"We're half sisters and she doesn't know it, but that's family stuff, you understand? That's why I must speak to her." She smiled and hoped that he would swallow the bluff. Again the man looked not really convinced and his gaze went shortly to the security guard. Oh crap that was bad.

"When you let me see her, I'll tell her how nice you were," she hastily said and tried to look sad and desperate, because she couldn't see her half sister.

"Well if that's the case you may go. Here's the key." Still he had a little bit of doubt in his voice, but Katherine had the key so that didn't matter.

"I will only speak highly of you, promise!" Katherine gave him a shining smile. "I'm so happy to finally meet her." Some more to flesh out the lie, since the guard seemed to be on alert. "She will be so surprised!" And again she tried not to run to the elevator, not looking too suspicious at all, and as the door slid shut Katherine punched the button fast to get away. Her persuasiveness really sucked but it worked, right? Not smooth but it worked, somehow.

Katherine opened the door with the key and stepped into Jezebel's room, and she saw what she'd expected. One of the most expensive rooms in the hotel, large and fully furnished with expensive pieces of furniture, but was she eligible to be sarcastic about it with her expensive apartment? Not really. In front of her stood a red-haired women dressed only in a panty and a shirt. Somehow Katherine was drawn to her like a moth was drawn to light.

"Look who we have here. Do you want me to share the enlightenment of the plague?" Jezebel's voice was hypnotic and seductive. Katherine just couldn't help but walk to her, letting her guard down.

"The plague?" she asked, a bit dumbfounded like a child.

"Yes my dear little morsel. Let me make you into a tool to spread the only truth while we give into sinful passion." Jezebel touched Katherine's cheek with her cold hands and just as Katherine wanted to close her eyes, doing everything Jezebel told her, in her mind appeared an image of a Kindred she was not able to suppress for long. LaCroix smiled at her in his smug manner. _Those worldly things are for Toreadors,_ and that was all she needed to break out of Jezebel's enchanting presence. With a fluid motion, she dragged the gun out of her shoulder holster, pointing the barrel at Jezebel's chin.

"Okay, that's enough bitch! Take your fingers off me and you won't look like Swiss cheese," Katherine hissed and unsecured her gun.

"Oh my, what a pity that you don't want to see the truth of the plague my morsel," and before Katherine could react she could feel how something sharp cut her flesh, and as she looked at the point Jezebel just dragged out a knife from her side.

"The Ninth Circle could have been your way into the freedom of our epidemic," she smiled and looked upon the bloody knife. By instinct Katherine held her side and aimed at Jezebel but then again the other Kindred was fast. How she hated celerity! But at last the combat training with a knife in the army had a chance to pay off. That Jezebel was faster than her was however a problem. Neither could she effectively defend against Jezebel's slashes nor attack unless...Well it was an uncomfortable idea but at least it was an option. Katherine didn't survive because she walked around like a stupid idiot, not using her brain. Knifes were fast to use but, at least against a vampire, pretty much ineffective.

Again Jezebel attacked with the knife, tearing a deep wound into Katherine's ribcage and she hoped that her fortitude would at least absorb some of the damage this time as she grabbed Jezebel's hand. With a start she turned the knife in her flesh to the left. The pain was insane as the knife scraped over one of her bones but Katherine could bear it. As a human she would've definitely now been unconscious, but her plan worked. The knife was tilted between her ribs and Katherine used her vitae to increase her strength a bit, so that Jezebel could not easily wrench herself from her grip. Without hesitation Katherine shot her complete magazine through Jezebel's chin, straight into her head. The rest was only a bloody mess with some disgusting brain parts. Katherine hoped that she wasn't infected now as she watched how Jezebel's corpse decomposed to ash.

But what now? She had not a lot of clues, only that this was some kind of sect called the Ninth Circle. First she took the freedom to get rid of Jezebel's blood and to drag out the knife that was still stuck in her chest. Perhaps she would find something here in the hotel room, but before she could make any move besides dragging out the knife the door of the entrance swung open and a man with a gun aimed at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" It was Dean who looked surprised but didn't lower his gun.

"What does it look like?" Katherine just responded coldly and healed her wounds. "In case you're searching for Jezebel Locke, she's met her final death." And she held up her hands to show Dean that there was no danger from her, besides perhaps the blood splashes from Jezebel. He put his gun away but nonetheless he looked distrustful.

"Yeah, I was searching for her. You're on an assignment for the Prince?" He sounded displeased and rather pissed about Katherine's presence.

"No, I'm not. You?" Since she hadn't waited for an assignment from LaCroix, there was of course the possibility that he'd called upon another poor bastard to do his deeds and as Katherine mentioned to Strauss, this was more Prince business.

"Sort of. I wonder why he didn't call his lapdog," Dean remarked snidely. "So what's your business with Locke?" Katherine had learned in Germany that it was better not to blindly trust anyone, even those of clan Ventrue. Even LaCroix.

"Locke fetched her prey at my club, and since those kine all died after they met her it was a pretty bad advertisement for me, decreasing the profits," she lied blandly and without flinching. Lying to Dean was of another calibre than lying to LaCroix. Katherine walked into the bathroom to get rid of the blood and Dean followed her.

"So what did she say before you pumped her full of lead? I'm surprised you were actually able to kill her." He really wore his problem with her on his sleeve.

"Why should I tell you that?" Katherine replied, distant, and wet a towel to wipe the blood off of her face and from her jacket as good as possible and then off her gun. "Since you don't have the balls to tell me what your problem with me is after what happened in Germany." In the mirror Katherine could see how Dean frowned.

"Isn't it obvious? You're illegally sired, not educated in the ways of clan Ventrue and because of your behaviour Elizabeth died. The Prince should have let you be killed, as according to our laws," he said and Katherine couldn't understand his point, and it made her angry that he had at first been nice and all.

"I wish he had. It would spare me your childish behaviour." It was not her choice, and more so it was not her choice to be a vampire. Katherine turned around and focused on Dean angrily, and now that she scrutinized him a bit more closely he looked quite dirty and bloody. His clothes were ripped at some points and his pants were wet up to the knees. The stench he gave off was enough to know where he had been. "So why don't you crawl back into the sewers and let me do my stuff."

"I crawled through the sewers because you were not good enough for it, lapdog!" Dean pointed with his forefinger at her.

"I'm not LaCroix's lapdog, so I'm free to decide what I do and I'll bring this plague down not because he says to, but because I – and not he – want to!" she fired back and reloaded her gun.

"Okay, okay! No need to get that angry! We have our differences but we have the same goal, so why don't we work together?" Somehow Katherine was not that easy to get and her gaze said this without hiding it.

"Why should I?" Putting back her gun into the holster, Katherine crossed her arms.

"Because I have this." Dean pulled out some kind of flyer. "And I know where they are hiding. Bringing down that Nosferatu was not easy and judging from your looks Jezebel wasn't that easy either. Together we have a better chance." He didn't smile, he just sounded serious and Katherine had to admit that it sounded logical; besides that she didn't have any clues and Dean did.

"Okay, so you can gain reputation with the Prince but what is my benefit in helping you? I could just lean back because Locke is dead." Dean had to make a good offer. Katherine was not so naive anymore.

"Wow, you're not quite that uneducated." Dean's words were not well chosen, because Katherine's eyebrows knitted together like LaCroix's did when he was displeased.

"I run an import for liquor, and I'll give you a good price for your club when I deliver some for you. How's that sound? And I won't call you lapdog anymore." He chuckled and Katherine really considered his offer. Foreign liquors could give the Confession a special touch.

"Okay, deal. But first tell me what happened in the sewers and I'll tell you what happened here. Furthermore I should get my rifle from my apartment and you some new clothes." When they would be dealing with more vampires it would be dumb to just walk there with only a gun.

"Good suggestion but my clothes will have to wait. My haven is not here in Downtown," he shrugged and Katherine sighed.

"Well then just let's go to the Venture Tower, get in and then out. Fast." She wasn't really happy to walk back into the tower this night but there weren't any other options in her eyes. The Prince must be royally pissed because she didn't show up in his office. Hopefully she could sneak in without LaCroix noticing, but that would be impossible. Perhaps she could bribe Chunk somehow.

During the walk to the tower, Dean told her everything that had happened in the sewers. About the Nosferatu, the dead kine and what this strange sect was up to. They came to the conclusion that this sect was some kind of Gehenna cult, and Katherine was right in her assumption that LaCroix was pissed because Chunk stopped her before she was able to pass him.

"Err...hey missy. Mr. LaCroix said that you should meet him in his office as soon as you return," Chunk said, uneasy, and Dean just looked at Katherine with a questioning face.

"Chunk, please. Don't tell him I came back. I'll treat your next meal," she smiled and the big officer just shook his head.

"No chance, Miss Falkner. An order is an order." And he crossed his arms before his chest. If Chunk wasn't bribeable with food, then LaCroix must be really pissed off. Her eyes locked on Chunk, Katherine spoke the words slowly.

"I was not here," she said and every word was supported by dominate. It caught her absolutely by surprise that Chunk just looked a bit confused and then raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you want to try missy, but you are here and I will report it to Mr. LaCroix. He's the boss." Chunk just shook off her domination! What the hell was that?

"Good, do what you want. Let's go in Dean and then let's finish our business." And Katherine just walked to the elevator, ignoring Chunk who used the intercom to inform LaCroix about her arrival.

"Holy shit, what have you done that the Prince wants to see you so badly that even fatty is scared?" At least one person was amused and she just ignored him, not making any noise during the elevator ride and pacing right into her apartment as the elevator stopped. Dean just let out a whistle as he stepped into it.

"Nice basket, lapdog." And he looked around.

"You should hold your tongue or you can walk into that sect house alone with your gun." She stuffed the rifle into a bag with some more ammo, just in case. Dean raised his hands and smiled amusedly, because the infamous 'Kat-Com' just made a noise.

"Into my office. Now." LaCroix's cold voice ordered and Katherine swung the bag over her shoulder, ignoring the Prince's order.

"I think it's better to vanish now. You're sure your gun is enough?" Without waiting she paced to the exit, pressing the button for the elevator rapidly.

"It's a Desert Eagle! Of course it's enough!" Dean said and Katherine just handed him her old Glock 17.

"With that toy you won't kill a fly." But Dean just shoved the gun back to her.

"I killed that Brother Kanker with it, so it will at least kill a sewer rat. Keep your cheap stuff for yourself." Dean was not persuadable and Katherine had a bad feeling about him only having a gun, but it was his choice.

They both nearly ran out of the tower, escaping the Prince's wrath which would certainly hit Katherine sooner or later, but she was not concerned about it at the moment. She would deal with LaCroix's anger later when she received some answers from Strauss because it couldn't become worse, right?

To Katherine's surprise the strange hideout of the sect was right across from the Tremere chantry, and it was a bit wrong to call it hideout. The symbol with the skull and sun showed off flashy on the walls nearby. How could she overlook that? Both stepped in the door and a slight foul odour came out of the room. Katherine curled up her nose and Dean showed the flyer to the guy, who stood behind security glass but looked just like a bum.

"Welcome brother and sister to the Ninth Circle. The bishop awaits you," and with a buzz another door opened. Dean gave Katherine a glance over his shoulder and as he opened that door, the stench was nearly striking. Dean held his arm before his nose and Katherine did the same.

"You go first, I'll cover you," she mumbled and closed the door behind her, then unpacked her rifle.

"Don't trust me, lapdog? Just don't shoot me from behind with that thing." Dean pulled out his gun and looked at a woman who stood at the stairs and appeared frightened.

"I would have no benefit in shooting you and besides: This thing here," she strapped the rifle over her shoulder and brought it into the right position, so that she was able to fire it fast. "Is a G36."

They both approached the woman, who leapt backwards a bit.

"You're here to see the bishop?" she asked cautiously and again Dean took the lead. She told them about strange noises from upstairs, screams and that she was scared. Dean told her to just go out and never come back, because they were some insane kind of Satanists. Katherine couldn't agree more and they continued their path, walking up the stairs where the stench of death and decay became even more intense. Everywhere it was dirty and garbage lay around. Rats were rushing between their feet and also small cockroaches. At the end of the stairs, a very unpleasant sight awaited them. It was a human body but Katherine knew from her venture in the Giovanni Mansion that those were not humans anymore. Those were undead corpses without mind and soul.

"Oh crap zombies. Aim for the head, Dean," she ordered him, but he just glanced at her.

"Since when do you give the orders?" he asked and the zombie now made a moaning sound.

"It's just some advice. This is not the first time I've encountered them. They are slow but you don't want them near you." She let loose the rifle and pulled out the gun. No waste of precious munitions for zombies, and she was relieved that Dean seemed to consider her advice and aim for the head, but as he pulled the trigger his gun just made a 'click' and that's all. No sound of a fired bullet, nothing.

"Shit, what is this? Jamming?" He cursed and pulled the trigger over and over again, and now the zombie was on the move. But it was not only one zombie. More and more of them kept swarming out of the nearby rooms. It was like a bad zombie film.

"I told you that is just a toy! Expensive but not suited for real combat. It's a gun for the shooting range. In the sewers the mechanism must have gotten dirty and now this is the result!" Damn movies! All those wannabe cowboys think that movie weapons are as good as they're portrayed in action films, but they never ask themselves why armies in the whole world don't use those fancy status weapons. They are too expensive, too heavy and not durable enough. Katherine shot the first nearby zombie right in the head and it fell to the ground. This was the other side of her weapon. In exchange for durability the accuracy was not that good, but she didn't need to hit a bullseye where every millimetre was important, she just had to hit the ring.

Dean snorted, put the gun back into its holster and dragged out a short sword he had hidden under his coat, beheading one zombie.

"I don't need guns shepherd dog." He smiled and Katherine really was surprised and actually smiled back.

"That is obvious." And the next zombie fell to the ground as Katherine pulled the trigger of the gun. She let Dean do most of the work to preserve her bullets and he was pretty good, but somehow he reminded her of LaCroix, of how he used his elegant swordplay. Dean's style was more brutish, but nonetheless also very effective. A lot of slain zombies and some jokes about the movie 'The Evil Dead' later, both reached a door which stood out from all of the others. Just an exchange of looks between Dean and Katherine was enough to know that they both thought the same, and Katherine put away the gun to unsecure the assault rifle. As they stepped in, there stood a sick looking vampire before a dozen zombies. He had the symbol of the cult tattooed on the right part of his exposed chest, and was only wearing pants.

"Welcome my brother and sister. I'm Bishop Vick of the Ninth Circle. You seek enlightenment?" He smiled and revealed his yellow fangs and again Dean took the lead.

"Shove that shit up your diseased ass. We'll put you and this sick cult down," he hissed and Katherine's only thought was that Dean wasn't really tactful, but then again how could you convince a madman, who commands zombies, spreads a plague and kills ruthlessly that his ways are wrong? The bishop just smiled and muttered something about blind fools, as he raised his shotgun and the zombies started to move towards Dean and Katherine. There were so many and the first bullets of Vick's shotgun found their target, as Katherine stumbled back. Dean was busy with all those zombies and between the pain, Katherine could see how fast that bishop was. Oh crap, and before she could even get up something grabbed her from behind and bit her in the neck. It was not the bite of another vampire; these were human teeth, ripping brutally flesh out of her body. A scream passed her lips and the pain seemed to last nearly an eternity before it was gone. Katherine saw in a blur how Dean kicked a corpse away.

"Get up, dammit!" he shouted and a shot full of lead hit him in the chest. Katherine could see how his shirt soaked up a bit of blood and she burned some of her vitae to enhance her speed. She would not mess it up this time like in Germany and set the rifle to semi-automatic. With a short sprint she covered behind a fallen table and kneeled down so that she could aim more precisely with the rifle. Again she used some of her vitae to gain more precision and with fast single shots, she took out some zombies surrounding Dean.

"Get Vick, I'll cover you!" Katherine shouted at him and a shot from Vick's shotgun was aimed at her. The table stopped some of the lead but not everything. At least her fortitude covered the worst damage. Dean nodded and with precise shots Katherine took out the zombies in his way, so that he could freely slash Vick into pieces. But he was too fast for Dean, dodging his slashes and so he also wasn't able to fire his gun, and Katherine had enough time to kill all the zombies and occasionally try to shoot Vick when he appeared near her to take her out. Gladly Dean always gave her in this situation a warning plus a leading direction of where she should aim, and it was much easier as the last zombie hit the ground. Still Vick was a hard enemy and Dean kept running, covering behind walls or pillars rather than actually landing a hit and Katherine was also often in motion, changing her cover so that Vick couldn't just appear behind her and pump her head full with lead. Gladly she didn't have to reload as often as Vick, and used those gaps to switch her rifle into continuous fire and give him some nice new holes. At last Dean's and her effort paid off, as another salve hit Vick and thus he let his shotgun fall to the ground. Dean was as fast as possible there, and with a big arc of his short sword he sliced Vick's head from his shoulders. Both head and headless body fell to the ground, leaving nothing but ash. Katherine's body was aching and her neck, where the zombie had ripped out flesh, was burning. She felt how her thirst for blood urged her to find prey.

"Actually, I'm impressed." Dean stumbled to her and reached out to Katherine a hand to help her up from the ground. "Perhaps you're not that useless." She grabbed his hand and Dean pulled her up.

"You took the words out of my mouth." Now it was time to go to Strauss for some answers. "You're reporting back to the Prince now I guess. Better not tell him that I was with you." Dean just chuckled.

"Sure, but your head on the floor would also not be that bad. Just kidding," he saved himself with that fast addition, as Katherine unsecured her rifle again. Their ways parted outside of the crack house, and Katherine was actually a bit surprised that Dean didn't walk the way to the tower. Perhaps he wanted first to change his clothes before approaching the Prince. He really looked torn apart and she didn't look any better but there was a chance Strauss wouldn't mind that and Katherine just crossed the street to the chantry, making her way to the Regent.

"Reporting back, sir. The problem with the plague is solved." She saluted him and stood still. Strauss just eyed her over the frame of his glasses.

"That is quite astonishing, neonate. And fast. Please tell me the details." With a gesture of his hand, he pointed to one of the green sofas and Katherine started with her report about the plaguebearer and Bishop Vick's cult.

"This is very unsettling," Strauss mumbled and Katherine was getting impatient.

"Sir, but what now with the promised answers? I fulfilled my part and it's now your turn." A house full of zombies, a slashing crazy Toreador chick and a mad Brujah with a shotgun should really be enough for answers! Strauss looked at her for a good amount of minutes and then finally sat down on the opposite sofa.

"One word for your own safety, neonate. Don't tell the Prince about what I'll tell you. Don't tell him at all that we even spoke with each other. It's also not only for your safety but also for his." Strauss sounded serious. Katherine had never heard him that serious before and Strauss was always very, well, serious.

"Well, okay," Katherine said a bit hesitantly and raised an eyebrow. "So why is my relationship to the Prince important for the Masquerade?" she brought up the unanswered question and the Tremere shook his head.

"It is not only the Masquerade, it's also the Camarilla in Los Angeles," he explained and Katherine just looked at him with an expression of disbelief.

"You're kidding---" But Strauss interrupted her politely.

"Please let me finish, neonate." And Strauss leaned back, touching his chin with his hand like he was thinking. "Prince LaCroix brought me into a very difficult situation when he announced me as his Seneschal. With this he made me a target for his enemies and he has quite a lot of them. I tried to be neutral but that is now impossible."

"Wait, wait! So you just want to use me to save you?" It's all the same with all vampires. Katherine felt how she was getting angry again and Strauss just chuckled.

"Don't we all do that?" he asked. "It is more than only my life, it is also yours neonate. It is no secret that you chose the side of Prince LaCroix. Let me ask you: How do you think the Lasombra were able to infiltrate clan Ventrue?"

Katherine had never thought about it, so she just shrugged.

"Because the Sabbat once failed a direct assault against Los Angeles, they tried another method." And now a light lit up in Katherine's mind.

"So you're saying they want to penetrate the Camarilla from the inside?" That made a lot of sense. Caleb tried to use her to kill LaCroix, and if you can't directly eliminate an enemy, you'll use the more stealthy method and...holy shit! "If they succeed in infiltrating the Camarilla in L.A. they could use us as cannon fodder against the Anarchs, so that they are the laughing third."

"I see you're more aware of this than your sire." Strauss smiled and Katherine gave him an odd look.

"Step-sire or foster-sire would suit better," she said chilly and again Strauss chuckled, amused.

"Yes of course...step-sire," he smiled and Katherine just sighed.

"But what is my role in this intrigue?" Really, what could she do?

"The clans are untrustworthy. As you saw a month earlier the Toreador and Brujah Primogen showed open hostility against the Prince. Mr. Golden is a factor I can't judge at the moment, not to mention Miss Ophelia. Who knows what the children of Malkav are thinking. Clan Ventrue doesn't have a Primogen at the moment and I can't tell who is an antitribu." That was understandable for Katherine. "You are the only one who can influence the Prince to leave his destructive path for power."

"I? Influencing the Prince? I think your expectations are too high, sir." Still she had no idea what Strauss wanted from her.

"Subtlety of course. He is still after the mummy of Messerach. His enemies will exploit that weakness again."

"That makes no sense." Katherine raised her hands and let them fall down on her lap. "Why do you support LaCroix now? Why not set a new Prince in charge?" Would be much easier, right? Strauss again shook his head.

"No, neonate. As I said the clans are untrustworthy and unstable. The next Prince could be under the influence of the Sabbat."

"So it's a choice between the plague and cholera," she summarized and Strauss just chuckled again.

"Not quite an accurate correlation, neonate. It is a choice between the plague and aids. You can heal the plague in these times when you're seeing the first signs of it. Aids on the other hand you cannot cure and it will kill you slowly." Those words left her thinking. If LaCroix would fall, Strauss would fall with him, that much was clear for her now but still she had no idea how she was a factor in all of this.

"I still do not understand why I can help you. I'm not that close to the Prince," she shrugged.

"You are closer to him than you think and the Prince drank your blood." Strauss stood up from the sofa and walked again to one of the bookshelves.

"We drink the blood of other beings every night. So why is this different?" Why did she have to pull all answers out of Strauss' nose? The Regent turned around to her, looking surprised.

"There is quite a great difference! Say, neonate: Have you ever heard of the blood bond?" Her expression seemed to have given the answer away, since Strauss just continued. "If you drink the blood, the vitae, of another Kindred you'll become slowly attached to him."

"Oh wait, wait, wait! What does that mean, 'attached'?" She drank LaCroix's blood also! Was she now 'attached' to him? But at least this explained now his strange behaviour yesterday night. He'd wanted her to become 'attached'.

"Humans like to call those feelings 'affection' or even...'love'." Strauss analyzed her carefully. Katherine's thoughts were just spinning around; trying to handle what the Regent just told her.

"So you want to say that he is...bound to me?" Her voice trembled and impended to die, totally ignoring the question of how Strauss knew that the Prince had drunk her blood.

"Yes and no. It takes three sips of a Kindred's vitae in three separate nights to become fully bonded. A very improper mistake for a Prince, but for us it is a chance to prevent his and our downfall." Strauss pulled a book out of the bookshelf and placed it before Katherine. "Probably that is why he keeps you now near himself."

"But what about his childe?" she stuttered and Strauss smiled.

"That, neonate, is an issue where I won't interfere." He bent down to her. "Jealousy is quite blending." And as he walked back to the fireplace, his smile widened in amusement. "Read this book. It has information about the Sabbat you will need," he said and watched the dancing flames. Katherine looked at the cover and to her surprise the title was written in German.

"Hum, thanks. I'll return it as soon as possible." That would take some time. She never was a bookworm.

"And remember not to tell the Prince anything about our meeting. I think the urgency of this fact is now clear to you." Oh yes, that it was. LaCroix would not only kill her verbally, he would let her be beheaded by the Sheriff - which reminded her of the fact that the Prince must now be really angry because she hadn't come into his office again.

"I think I already upset him this night," she sighed depressed and massaged her forehead.

"Then you should soothe him, as fast as possible," and Strauss' words were again full of concern. Katherine just nodded and grabbed the book from the table, putting it into the bag with her rifle.

"I will send you a message through your club when I need you again," Strauss said, again watching the flames.

"Yes sir. Good evening." Katherine walked out of the chantry, and on the way back to the Venture Tower she searched for words to calm LaCroix wrath. She had to admit that this would be a more dangerous task than dealing with the Ninth Circle.

* * *

AN: A loooong chapter! I hope it's not boring in some point. If it's the case, just let me know and I wish you all a happy christmas holiday! I'm a bit slow in writing the next chapter down. Blame my new Wacom tablet! *starts up photoshop again*


	17. One less thing to worry about

Again Katherine was left alone with a head where thoughts were spinning up and down like a kaleidoscope, but totally unorganized. Slowly she walked out of the chantry, watching the bag in her hand as it swung back and forth. So the Sabbat had infiltrated the Camarilla. That much she understood and since she'd interfered more than once with the Sabbat's plans, Katherine couldn't deny that it was also in her interest that those monsters didn't take over the Camarilla. Caleb had shown her that she was also a target and a tool for them. So it was already certain that she would support Strauss and so also LaCroix. _'Again LaCroix,'_ she sighed in her mind. The first time she sided with him, despite him calling a freaking blood hunt on her, using her and the list went on and on, was because he had the best interests of the city at heart. If he has a heart. His methods may be controversial but then again he doesn't have an easy time as a Prince. Why did she help him on the tower roof? To fuck up the Anarchs' plan. Simple. And this time? Well, this time it looked like she was forced to support him to save her own skin. It's fair, right? No more goody, goody! The barrel was full, like they would say in Germany.

Now to the more...disturbing topic: That blood bond thing. Slowly Katherine passed the burned down Hollowbrook Hotel, where the Sheriff and she had struck down the operating base of the Sabbat - or so they thought. It seemed like this was just a fake, if you looked at their more recent activity, but she was leaving the topic. Strauss said that vitae had some magical effects. Wow. Was it a kind of love potion or what? But it was a really good explanation, besides the dementation, for why she was having those strange feelings for LaCroix. Katherine stopped abruptly and frowned. He drank twice from her, did that mean LaCroix also - oh sweet mother of god! Katherine just stared down the dirty sidewalk, focusing on an old piece of chewing gum which was glued to it. Her mind was afraid to end that sentence. Okay, once more but slowly. Very slow. Did that imply that LaCroix also had these feelings? Katherine bit her lip and shook her head. No, that was ridiculous, absurd. Strauss must be mistaken, or he lied to her so that she would do what he wanted her to do. She tended more to the second option. There's no way that Prince Sebastian LaCroix would feel 'affection' or 'love' – god that word felt so alien in connection with LaCroix! - for someone besides himself. Oh yes and his cute little Princess. Bah! Anyhow that thought was beyond idiotic and Katherine nodded to herself, continuing on her way back to the tower and deciding that it was better to think about a plan for how she could calm LaCroix, who would without a doubt unleash his wrath upon her for ignoring his order to show up.

She nearly sneaked into the main hall where Chunk was sitting behind his desk, but of course that was no use. Somehow she felt like a teenager again, who had went out without the permission of her parents. Jesus, that was awkward but somehow fitting. Gladly Chunk ignored her more or less, because he was busy with a jelly doughnut whose filling just made its way onto his shirt, but Katherine doubted for no second that LaCroix knew she'd made a step into his tower. Call it paranoia, but wasn't that common in Kindred society? So why should she be an exception? With a bad feeling in her stomach, she pushed the button to the penthouse and there was still no plan for how to defend herself in her head. Katherine would deal again with a house full of zombies anytime than with the upset Prince of Los Angeles in his tower and the 'bing' of the elevator just sounded sinister and evil.

"Just go in and explain to him why you look and smell like a bum. Tell him the same you told Dean," she muttered to herself, always keeping in mind not to mention Strauss' involvement in this under any circumstances. Sounded like a good plan more or less.

"You can to this," Katherine cheered for herself but truth be told: Her legs felt like pudding as she opened the pompous door to LaCroix's even more pompous office. Hands down, she was awaiting everything. From a lecture up to a flying mug aimed at her head, but this was just, well...she had no words; she was just able to stare at LaCroix, being embraced by Cecilia who was about to kiss him, or so Katherine was thinking - if she was able to think - because immediately a harsh wave of jealousy flooded every bit of her body and mind, making her hand cramp around the bag's strap. Both now looked to her, Cecilia giving her some kind of surprised look, while LaCroix just regarded her with despise. Surprisingly Katherine was able to speak before him.

"Forgive my rude intrusion, sir." And without a blink she was gone, again fleeing like a wimp but that was the only reaction she was able to execute properly. Wrong timing for explanations, and so much for that blood bond thing. At least it was one less thing to worry about. Well, not exactly. She was jealous like a teenager whose crush had already a girlfriend. All this was a nightmare and while Katherine rapidly punched the button for the elevator in a fury, she couldn't understand herself anymore. Just seconds ago she was confident to face him, but that was gone now. Blown away like a piece of paper in a hurricane. Her brain just made a tilt and again she didn't want to stay in the tower, pacing out of it as soon as the elevator stopped again at the main hall; but where should she go now? Somewhere she would be able to let her bad mood out. There must be such a place, and as Katherine looked down at her bag she had an idea. Time to give Mercurio a friendly visit!

Santa Monica was soon reached and also Mercurio's apartment door, where Katherine knocked against like she wanted to crush it.

"Yes yes, I'm coming, damn!" A muffled male voice was heard and Mercurio opened the door with a pissed expression, but as soon as he recognized Katherine he smiled. "Hey sweetie! Long time no—" Further he didn't come as she punched him straight in the face. He stumbled backwards, holding his bleeding nose. "Jesus! What was that for! Oh, fuck that hurts! I think it's broken!"

"That was for sending me into a store where they called me Mrs. LaCroix, sucker!" And she just walked into his dwelling, but as Mercurio heard that sentence he let out some stray chuckles, then burst into laughter. God! That had felt good! Usually she wouldn't punch random people in the face, but for a second she'd had Cecilia's face before her eyes and it was satisfying. The thing with the shop was more or less an excuse to cover the real reason of her anger.

"They...they called you Mrs. LaCroix?" Barely was he able to say that sentence. "This is better...better than...I imagined...shit that hurts." Now also holding his stomach, Mercurio disappeared into the bathroom. Katherine just sat down on the couch – which had finally been replaced with a new, unbloody one – and made herself comfortable as the ghoul returned, still giggling like a schoolgirl.

"Want some more of the pain? You also knew he got me with that fucking credit card." Katherine pinned him with her gaze and Mercurio raised his hands in defeat.

"Sorry, sorry, sweetie. I just couldn't resist. Where's your humour?" Like always he now opened a drawer and pulled out the stuff Katherine always bought: Ammunition for her rifle and gun. "So, what can I do for you tonight? The usual business or something special?" As an answer, Katherine stood up and sniffed at him. Mercurio gave her an odd look. "What? Do I smell? I think you smell a bit...strange."

"I think my humour died along with me," she mumbled and then smiled. "I think today the usual business and something special." Mercurio just had a question mark above his head. She was surprised that he had her preferred blood. "I'll forgive the issue with the store and credit card when I get some blood from you. Oh yes and get drunk, but not with cheap booze." Now he blinked and needed some seconds to think about that.

"Bad night?" he asked and Katherine just nodded.

"I'll be gentle," she smiled in return and bared her fangs, and Mercurio just shrugged.

"Well, why not? It has been some time since one of you fed upon me but when a lady asks I just can't say no. But first the business." Good Mercurio, always first going straight to haggling, but that was no bad idea. After the zombie house she was a bit short on bullets, and after the affairs of business were done Mercurio vanished to get some alcohol. Meanwhile Katherine used his bathroom to get rid of the stench and go on a wardrobe raid. They were all a bit too big in size but better than her stinking and ripped up clothes. Besides that she would fetch the taxi again, rather than stumbling in a stupor back to Downtown in Mercurio's clothes. As the ghoul returned, he again gave her an odd look.

"You're pretty shameless," he grinned and looked her over, putting some high in alcohol liquor on the table.

"Do you want to be bitten by a stinking vampire? I don't think that's somehow agreeable with our reputation. Aren't we seductive, always good looking and so on et cetera, you know the speech." Katherine took the bottle and read the label, nodding in approval.

"Hey, at least your sarcasm seems to still be alive." And now Katherine was able to smile sincerely for the first time this night. No sarcasm in it or some other ill-begotten motive, she just smiled because she enjoyed this person's company and his jokes to lighten her mood up. It felt like ages since she smiled that way and it was really fun to talk with Mercurio about stuff other than business. Katherine just kept it up making jokes about vampire clichés and he mocked her with them, which got more and more difficult for him as the bottle of whiskey depleted.

"You know what?" Mercurio babbled drunkenly. "If...if you weren't dead and I more than 50 years old, it would really be fun to go out with you." He laughed and then passed out with the last sip from the bottle. Katherine had to account him that he was really able to hold his drink. If she was still mortal, she would have passed out after the first half of the bottle and by god she had often drunk some alcohol.

"Sorry Mercurio, if I was still alive, I wouldn't be here." Her words were just a whisper to the unconscious ghoul's neck as she plunged her fangs into his warm flesh. The hot blood touched her tongue and ran down her throat, soothing the hunger and slowly engulfing her mind into a well-known and missed cloud of alcohol. Now she was able to forget all those problems, all those intrigues of the Kindred and her bag with the rifle and Strauss' book. Of course she didn't drain Mercurio dry. She just left him on the couch where he passed out and left his apartment stumbling, while she giggled amusedly about this great idea to get drunk. Katherine needed a little bit of time to reach a taxi which was parked in front the Asylum, but at last she arrived back in Downtown, having a hard time hitting the button of the elevator to the penthouse.

"Sssstupid button, sssstop movin'!" The words were just babbled and finally she hit it. "Ha! Got ya, sssstupid button, haha!" she yelled triumphantly against her defeated foe. Only some steps and she could just fall on her bed, but the card reader was also not on her side. Katherine needed a good minute to slide her card through it and nearly fell through the door.

"Don't mess with me, bitch!" She shook her fist and stumbled further into her dwelling.

"Where have you been?" a voice asked in a sharp tone and Katherine wasn't able to make out the source, blinking with her eyes and looking confused. "Are you drunk?" Now the voice had a displeased sound and before her blurry vision appeared LaCroix. Did he wait for her in her apartment? Nah, never! The alcohol and the dementation. It must just be her imagination but that didn't mean she would just take it! Who gave him the right to disturb her happy ignorance with the help of liquor, even if this was just an image conjured by her mind?

"Oh my gosh..." Katherine rolled her eyes. "Even in my drunken stupor you don't leave me alone, eh?" She looked at him with small eyes. "Stupid LaCroix apparition." Katherine tried to poke him but she just fell through the Prince, landing on the ground. "Just leave me alone..." she mourned. "Why do you haunt me? Aren't my dreams, my thoughts enough? I just wanted to drown all of this..."

"Stand up. This doesn't suit a Ventrue." She never thought that her mind would be so accurate even in this state. She would bet her ass that the real LaCroix would just say the same. "What is this attire?" His voice also sounded displeased like it would be from the real LaCroix.

"Huh that?" She lifted her arms up in the air, so that it was clear to see that the shirt was way too big for her. "Just Mercurio's. Mine got a bit dirty."

"Where?" Good grief! He really sounded tremendously real!

"In a bad Uwe Boll movie. You know what? You're my hallucination so be more kind towards me!" Katherine hissed, waving her finger like a feather duster. "Man, even my hallucinations aren't under my control..." Stupid hallucination. "You really sound too real, but if you were real, you would first punish me for the other thingies I just forgot." Katherine giggled and rolled to the side on her back. "Ah yes that disobey stuff and the intrusion while he made out with his Princess," and the last word just oozed her despise for Cecilia out into the air. The LaCroix apparition raised an eyebrow.

"Is that what you think?" he asked and walked to one of the sofas, sitting down. Funny. She always wished to have a talk like this with the real LaCroix but perhaps this would also do, like the last resort of her sanity to rescue itself, creating an image of LaCroix on which she could dump all her brain garbage. The real one would never have time for such triviality.

"It's what I saw. So much for the high and snobby 'those worldly things are for Toreadors'," she said, imitating LaCroix's voice. "Ha...nonsense...fucking liar..." Muttering, Katherine tried to get back on her feet but she felt like a bug, which lay on its back. "But hey! It's his Princess right? So he cares about her blah, blah, blah. He said it at the airport so...argh...I don't know why it bothers me at all." The words were just dripping out of her like a waterfall. "At least he cares about someone besides that stupid mummy. Surprising, pretty surprising. Thought he only cared for himself." Finally she got up, made some steps and tripped over the carpet, falling down on the floor again. "What the fuck? Since when are carpets deadly traps?" Katherine cursed. "This's like in that damn lair of that fucking Kuei-Jin bitch." And she awaited at any moment some sharp razor blades coming from out of nowhere, but instead she could hear the hallucination sighing.

"Don't you think it would be the best for this city for the Prince to have power?" Was he referring to the mummy?

"That stupid, blind idiot has power! He's just too busy whining about those evil Anarchs who destroy his sandcastle like bullies in kindergarten." Yes, sometimes all this mess was like child's play and child's arguing if you stripped the intrigues away. "I mean...come on! He's the fucking Prince! Even I understand that you won't become Prince when you don't have power. He achieved it with his own power and not with diablerizing some stupid Antediluvian hocus pocus. They exploited his weakness once and they will exploit it also this time, but I won't be there to drag his French ass out of the fire! This time, the Prussians won't come again to the aide! History repeats itself!" she said loudly, raising her fist into the air and smiling wide. "Perhaps he sends his little dolly after the mummy, but hey! It's not my cup of tea anymore. If I'm lucky, she'll die on one of his assignments." And Katherine snickered evilly. "But sadly he cares for her..." she grunted. "No chance he'll send that little Princess."

"You are displeased with Miss Cecilia?" he then asked and Katherine just snorted.

"Of course I am!" What a stupid question!

"Why?" He dug further and Katherine's eyebrows knitted together. Why? Why? WHY? Good question, but the alcohol forced the truth out of her mind where she'd desperately dug it deep into, realizing the only true motive for why she hated Cecilia.

"Because...it...no. That sounds stupid..." Again she got up and stumbled to the direction where the apparition was sitting.

"You know that you can tell me everything." That sentence sent shivers down her spine and made her legs stop moving. Slightly odd for a hallucination to cause such a reaction.

"No...it sounds...wrong, stupid and...yeah...wrong." She didn't want to hear those words pass her lips, even while she was wasted up to her hair tips. It would be like a confession of a deadly sin only without absolution. "And it doesn't suit a Ventrue! Those things are for Toreadors!" With a triumphant smile she resumed her stumbling to the couch where the apparition sat, his arms crossed before his chest and the left leg swung over the right one. He even had the same expression on his face as LaCroix. Somehow he looked angry and Katherine shook her head. What kind of stuff did Mercurio also have in his blood besides alcohol? She felt that it was hard to keep her eyes open and her head felt like it was packed in cotton. Everything was spinning.

"You shouldn't lecture me about what suits our blood and what doesn't. Your insults won't be forgotten." Now he looked royally pissed, but Katherine just chuckled.

"What do you wanna do? Call in a hallucination of the Sheriff to behead me like my sire?" Her chuckling became more frequent. It was just a stupid image out of her mind. A quite decent and realistic one, but just her mind making fun of her while in a stupor. "You said I can tell you everything and that includes my opinion about you, err, LaCroix. You know what I mean." And she let herself fall on the couch, next to her hallucination but with a good amount of distance. Somehow the spinning in her head got much worse.

"Then you can also tell me why you dislike Miss Cecilia," he persisted and Katherine mourned, rolling her eyes, and as she looked at her hallucination there were two. Pretty irritating and scary to see LaCroix two times.

"No, I won't." Her eyes rushed to the left and right without knowing which LaCroix to focus on.

"Yes, you want to." He looked at her with his cold eyes, and still she didn't want to let those cursed words out, but hey! It was her drunken stupor and her hallucination! So why not just show it? What could happen, right? And besides, it was something she really wanted to do somewhere deep inside, if she was honest with herself. God bless alcohol! So Katherine just smiled and slid nearer to the apparition who didn't flinch, just stared. She stared back into those fascinating grey eyes and smiled mildly, lifting her hand to touch the face from one of those two LaCroix but it glided through this image like it was only thin air. Of course...it was thin air. Else she would have suffered her final death after her first sentence.

"I want to show you something..." The words came slowly out of her mouth, like though chewing gum and Katherine tried to embrace him. Actually, even to her own surprise, there was resistance and her face landed on the smooth and expensive fabric of a suit, her hands finding a grip in its folds. At her cheek she could feel the silk of a shirt and tie, even smell the cologne which hung decently in the air when LaCroix was around. Those facts were slowly crawling into her clouded mind like a slow, but terrifying poison.

"Ach...du..heilige...Scheiße..." Those were Katherine's last words before she passed out and silence lay mercifully upon her mind, closing her eyes.

* * *

AN: Du heilige Scheiße - Holy shit

In this chapter there are two references. One is pretty obvious in regards I mentioned his name: Uwe Boll. Frankly, I like him! He's able to make money with shit! That's amazing and he even has the guts to admit it. That's why I actually think he's pretty cool.


	18. A prince, his princess and a evil witch

After such a horrible drunken night you would expect to have a bad hangover, but it seemed like vampires could get drunk without a hangover afterward. It was logical, since they didn't have any other fluids besides blood in their dead bodies. Katherine awoke on the sofa where she had passed out the night before. She felt a bit dizzy and slowly the memories came back of what had happened. Not quite everything, but it had enough potential to send her straight into panic mode. That wasn't really LaCroix yesterday night who she passed out on, and Jesus! What had she said? Seemed like alcohol was still able to erase memories from undead brains. Her brain said it wasn't LaCroix, of course it couldn't be! Her feelings on the other hand said the opposite - but her brain won the fight. If it really had been LaCroix and not some sort of hallucination she would've been a pile of ash by now. So no reason for a panic attack. Everything was fine with exception of her sanity, but you can't have everything. Better to be alive and mad, because dead your sanity won't help you out much. Ignorance is bliss, and it prevented her from running amok because of all those riddles, questions and complicated politics of Kindred society.

After Katherine changed her clothes and checked her email, which she had more than one of from LaCroix who wanted to summon her into his office, she decided to just wait and not to move out. Mercurio had also sent her an email.

_From: Mercurio_

_Subject: Business_

_Hey sweetie! I've got a bad hangover at the moment, but even with this head I've brought your forgotten purchases to the tower. The night was real fun, besides your punch in my face. You shouldn't threaten an old man like this._

_If you ever have some time to spare again, feel free to drop by._

_–M_

With a smile she clicked the mail away just to receive a new one.

_From: Sebastian LaCroix_

_Subject: Assignment_

_Come immediately. –SL_

With a sigh and a bad feeling rising up again in her stomach when it came to her latest dealings with LaCroix, Katherine got up and found in front of her door, as she opened it, her bag. A little bit scared she looked into it but was relieved to find Strauss' book inside and intact. More problems and she really would snap. She decided that it was better to leave the bag in her apartment in case LaCroix would ask her about why she was carrying it around with her. So she went to his office, and found relatively normal circumstances. Sheriff? Check. Cecilia? Gah, sadly check. LaCroix sitting at his desk, reading some documents? Check. Herself somehow nervous? Check. Okay, time to face this and no running away like a coward. If it really was him in the flesh last night he would now rip her head off, so she knew what could come.

"Reporting to duty, sir." So far so good in playing normal like nothing had happened. She pulled it off better than she expected and her head was still on her shoulders, the Sheriff wasn't moving as usual and only Cecilia gave her a stupid smile. LaCroix didn't look up as he spoke.

"What a rare sight," he noticed sarcastically and Katherine could not help but look a bit nervous. LaCroix was calm, too calm for her taste. "After your misconduct yesterday I've decided that your debt has risen again." Oh, just her debts? There must be a hitch somewhere. _'Suicide mission. Just spit it out so that I can finally face my certain doom.'_

"So your next assignment will be a very important one and failure is by all means not an option. Did I make this clear?" Still he focused on his desk and Katherine asked herself why. When he gave her an important assignment he looked straight at her face, waved his finger and was overall more serious. What the hell was going on? She might be inexperienced but not dumb!

"You will be responsible for Miss Cecilia's security while she visits the childe of the Toreador Primogen. In one hour both of you will depart. That is all for now. You may leave."

Katherine's jaw dropped. That was all? Play babysitter for his Princess? No suicide mission? No 'jump into a building full of Sabbat Kindred' or something similar? Okay, it was perhaps a suicide mission for her nerves but...THAT WAS IT? Of course his Princess was important to him and if something happened to her Katherine didn't want to imagine what would be done to her. It was odd of him nonetheless. Just last night she'd babbled something about despising Cecilia as far as she could remember. Oh God have mercy! Was it in the end LaCroix for real? Was this a punishment?

"It will be a great opportunity to get to know each other." Cecilia appeared beside her and smiled her perfect friendly smile, and she grabbed Katherine's sleeve to drag her out of LaCroix's office. She was totally caught by surprise and not able to react till they reached the elevator. Yes, this was a punishment.

"Wait, wait, wait," Katherine said hastily and deprived Cecilia's claws of her sleeve. "In one hour, not now!" she said coldly and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She didn't want to spend more time than necessary with her self-proclaimed enemy.

"Oh come on! You need some other clothes and me too! It will be fun and not so lonely with company, don't you agree?" No, not at all! Katherine couldn't disagree more!

"I'm perfectly dressed for this assignment to ensure your security. I'm not going out to have an easy time." Katherine stepped into the elevator, while Cecilia eyed her up and down.

"Why are you so hostile towards me?" With a sad face, she followed her and without a blink Katherine made her reply.

"I'm not hostile towards you." But Cecilia seemed not to believe her.

"You are, this is obvious. Ever since our first meeting and I don't know what I have done to you but I apologize," she said and looked at Katherine who just knitted her eyebrows together. LaCroix was really rubbing off on her.

"Just never pity me because I'm illegally sired. Never ever do this again, and I don't promise that we'll get along. I just can't stand you." '_I just can't stand you, because you're LaCroix's childe and he cares more about you than me,_' would sound pretty freaky but that was the point. That was why she didn't like her at all. Katherine had to admit that it was, perhaps, not fair but that's how she felt and that feeling was overwhelming.

"I don't pity you, I envy you. I'm sorry that my words upset you." And the elevator stopped at Cecilia's apartment. Okay, what was that again? She envied her? Katherine was now on alert. Of course she hadn't forgotten that Cecilia was educated by LaCroix himself, and only God knew what tricks he'd taught her. There was something fishy about this and vampires were never honest, but for the moment Katherine played along. Perhaps she could fool her and then strike back in some way. Patience was the key word and Cecilia was nothing more than a fledgling, like Katherine herself.

"You don't pity me?" Katherine chuckled. "That's ridiculous. Why of all Kindred would you envy me?"

"Because you are such a strong person." Cecilia stepped out of the elevator and smiled. "And you are free." She waited outside for Katherine to follow her. Good, now she was really curious what lies would be served to her.

"If you call this being free, doing every assignment the Prince gives you, regardless of whether it's suicide or not because you owe him too much, then yes, I'm free." The sarcasm oozed out of her words and she followed Cecilia into her apartment. It was nearly the same as hers but had more modern furniture. Seemed like Cecilia had her own head in such things but nonetheless everything looked expensive.

"It must be thrilling to go out into the night and experience adventures on every corner! Like a whole new world!" If Cecilia wanted to achieve something with those words, she bit on granite.

"Oh yes, absolutely." Katherine rolled her eyes, again speaking in a sarcastic tone. "Being shot, sliced and burned is really thrilling and I haven't even mentioned how much fun it is to crawl through the sewers of L.A." In her opinion, Cecilia sounded like a spoiled, rich brat who had no idea about the real world outside of her golden palace and the caring of LaCroix.

"And you survived all of that? Please tell me more!" She smiled eagerly, like a child who wanted to hear bedtime stories and Katherine just lifted her eyebrow.

"This is not a fairy tale, and besides: You're a fully educated Ventrue! You should know that this existence is not full of fun like in books." Her tone was now harsh and cold.

"You sound like him." Lowering her head, Cecilia stepped into a walk-in closet and rustled through her clothes.

"I sound like whom?" Like a being with a brain?

"Like Sebastian," her muffled voice from out of the closet hit Katherine like a bat in the face. Okay, now two people had said she sounded like LaCroix! What the fuck?

"That's not funny," Katherine snorted, trying to hide her disgust as Cecilia appeared before her with a dress in front of her.

"Would this fit?" she smiled and Katherine just stared in disbelief. Like clothes would matter now!

"Why would I sound like him? That's not possible. You are his childe, you have been educated by him so that's just plain idiotic." What a great pile of nonsense!

"He just told me about the Decorum and then I didn't see him very often. He was always busy and kept me in a lower apartment in the tower for this whole time until the strange explosion happened in the penthouse. After my initiation I finally met some other people, but they were strange. I never imagined that vampires were so...unsettling. They all looked at me in a strange way and ever since then I've only been allowed to stay here, barely able to meet other people like Paulina. It's awful and I was so glad that we could finally meet, so that we could be friends and I wouldn't be so lonely. I miss my family and my friends. I really like Sebastian. He's well-mannered but always so busy and reserved. When I met him for the first time he was really enchanting and those feelings stayed after he Embraced me." Now Cecilia really looked sad and Katherine didn't know what to do - she could actually understand her. Heck, she even felt the same! Lonely and of course missing her family. So LaCroix had also kept Cecilia away from them, but this could be a trick of some sort and: She confessed that she liked him! Bad move little Princess, bad move!

Katherine sighed and rubbed her neck.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened to you but, well." Jesus she really didn't want to defend LaCroix, or did she? "You are the childe of the Prince of L.A. He has a lot of enemies and you would be a pretty good target. That's why he locks you away. He..." Katherine swallowed some huge lump that was in her throat. "...he cares about you. He's just not the type of person to show such things in the open and like you said, he's really busy. That's why he's the Prince."

"He cares for me?" Cecilia looked up with a surprised face.

"Uh...actually. Yes. He said it himself. I once asked him if he had a person who he cares about and he surprisingly answered that with a yes and that she's not happy about it...so...that can only be you right?" She forced a smile and it felt more like a grimace, but Cecilia had a bright smile on her lips.

"Really?" She looked like she would jump because of her joy.

"Really..." Katherine sighed and rolled her eyes. It felt like educating a small child. "Perhaps he Embraced you because he feels the same?" That was a smart move! Build up expectations and then sit back and watch how they were crushed! _'Smart plan lady, smart plan,' _she praised herself in her mind. Yes, that's it, but again there was a problem with it: LaCroix actually cared for Cecilia and the plan could just backfire, causing that which she wanted to avoid but — What was she thinking? Had she fallen that deep to knit such vile plans? Katherine knew it was wrong but those feelings for LaCroix were also wrong. Wasn't it better to just admit defeat and stop breaking her brain with that topic? And defeated in what? Actually in – no! Stop! Katherine didn't even want to construct that sentence in her mind! At least he had entrusted his little Princess into her hands. Wasn't that some kind of sign that the Prince trusted her? Or it was a trap. Katherine would fail and he'd have a reason to kill her, but endangering his childe? Well, it was LaCroix after all. Meanwhile, Cecilia had a nearly blinding smile on her face.

"Thanks, you're probably right. I'm just new to this and it's overwhelming. I shouldn't be so egoistic," she smiled with that toothpaste smile at Katherine. Actually Cecilia wasn't that bad. She hadn't done anything to her but still Katherine wouldn't trust other Kindred that easily, and a friendly vampire always meant some sort of trouble. Why should Cecilia be an exception?

"Yes, yes," she waved bored with her hand. "The dress looks perfect, but I have some preparations to do before we leave." And Katherine pointed with her thumb at the door.

"Let me accompany you!" Before she could even object, Cecilia jumped happily to her side and hooked up Katherine's arm in hers.

"I just..." Think, goddammit, THINK! "...need to clean my rifle and gun. It's boring, really." SAVE!

"I don't mind! It's better that then to be alone and you can explain to me how such guns work!" Had someone ever told her that she was a clingy brat?

"I like the silence when I'm alone," Katherine responded coldly, and she liked her personal space! It was more than she could handle that even LaCroix was ignoring it, sniffing around in her rooms and now his childe was just the same! They really fit together and she dragged her arm out of Cecilia's claws, whose smile vanished. Katherine nearly pitied her. Poor rich brat was alone? Not her problem!

"You're again just like Sebastian." The sentence was again in a sad tone and somehow Katherine had the suspicion that this was all a show. It was just too...human.

"I'm not and I'm not your sire! I've got an assignment from the Prince and I will fulfil that assignment which is to ensure your security, not play entertainer. If you're feeling alone, just tell it to _Sebastian_." She couldn't help but say his first name in a snide tone, and then left Cecilia just standing there without even saying another word as she left the apartment. Again she was angry and wanted to stomp someone into the ground. It was strange, even in her own eyes, that she was so irascible since that event on the tower roof.

Arriving at her apartment, Katherine unpacked her bag and took a short look into Strauss' book. Interestingly, it had a type of index where all the topics were listed. The book focused on the antitribu clans, and with fast fingers she opened the page about them and read the introduction. It was really unsettling. These were some kind of anti-clan renegades and outcasts who joined the Sabbat to threaten the Camarilla. So the Sabbat were not only Lasombra and Tzimisce, but also Brujah, Gangrel and so on. Wait a second! Katherine flipped back to the pages where some drawings of the antitribu's symbols were. Even Ventrue? That was really alarming and she walked to a chair, sitting down while still looking at the book. Wasn't LaCroix so upset about how a Lasombra could have infiltrated clan Ventrue, and didn't Strauss say that the other clans could also be infiltrated, so they were untrustworthy? Could it be, that these antitribu are just under the Camarilla's nose, spying? Wow, that was a huge kind of mess her head needed to understand, but she had wasted a bit too much time! She still needed to clean her gun and rifle. It was better not to risk anything, but where to put the book? This time she decided to just put it into her ammo stash. LaCroix would never sniff around in that thing, right?

She made it just in time to meet Cecilia at the main hall, her rifle like always in a bag and her gun in a holster. Katherine would unpack the rifle in the limousine. Wait what? She would sit in that thing? Oh Jesus...

At least Cecilia didn't say anything to her till they arrived at the villa. Wow, a villa of a vampire which didn't look like it had popped straight out of some history book. It almost seemed normal. Katherine didn't speak a word, walking behind Cecilia and observing everything carefully, never leaving her side. She was disturbingly reminded of how this was like LaCroix and his Sheriff, needing all her self-control not to scream as that thought passed through her brain.

The rest of the night was boring. Cecilia was talking with the childe of the Primogen, the previously mentioned Paulina. They were just the perfect high society girls in Katherine's opinion. Cecilia would have been better off being Embraced by a Toreador instead of a Ventrue. Gladly a vampire couldn't yawn and she wished for some kind of change, while Cecilia and Paulina talked about the latest fashion. It was nearly too cliché. Her prayer was answered with a loud explosion and now Katherine wished that she would have kept the wish for variety to herself. Only Cecilia let out a muffled scream of surprise, while Paulina had a questioning face. Katherine on the other hand immediately stripped her rifle from her shoulder.

"I'll take a look, you just don't move," she ordered Cecilia. Paulina wasn't her concern but on the other hand she was the Primogen's childe. Also gunfire could now be heard and as Katherine stepped cautiously onto the floor one of the Toreador's own security guards ran in their direction, but they were all ghouls with the exception of the one who was their overseer.

"What's going on?" Katherine stepped into his way so that he was forced to stop.

"Too...many!" he breathed hard. "Sabbat! They ---" Someone fired a machine pistol, hitting the ghoul several times who collapsed with a bloody chest and a shot through the head. As Katherine looked to the direction where the gunfire came from, there stood a man and as he smiled she could see his fangs. Her past missions with the Sheriff saved her from ending up like the ghoul. Reflexively she shot unerring with her rifle at the vampire and made a run back to both the girlies. They were still in the same room and Katherine closed the door, looking at them with a face which said nothing.

"What is it?" Cecilia asked in a low, scared voice.

"Sabbat," and she listened at the door to check if she got that shovelhead.

"Sabbat? What is that?" Could someone be that dumb? Katherine only gave Cecilia an annoyed gaze, and at last Paulina lowered herself to tell her what the Sabbat was.

"But how could they've known we were here? Only my sire, Gerard and the Prince know that we are here, and the ghouls," Paulina pondered loudly and Katherine now relinquished her desire to listen for some clues that she killed the shovelhead.

"Would you please just stay quiet?" Or else they could just walk out there and scream 'shoot me!' and she sighed, aggravated. "Listen, I can't hear if someone is passing by and I don't want us to run right into the arms of the Sabbat," Katherine explained to them as they gave her again stupid faces.

"I can see them." At least Paulina now kept her voice low.

"How can you see through walls? Ah...yes I remember." Katherine shook her head. The Sheriff was also able to 'see' through walls or at least to see other beings through walls. It would come in really handy and so Paulina was way more useful than the little Princess.

Paulina gave her a wink and looked around like the walls were not really there.

"No one is on the floor." She nodded and Katherine gave a sign to open it, but neither of the girls reacted. Again Katherine sighed. Of course they didn't know about military hand signs to communicate silently and there was no time to give them a crash course. Just great.

"Are you familiar with weapons?" They shook their heads. Even better. "You both keep quiet. Paulina, if you see someone give me a sign; if everything is clear just nod. Understood?" Katherine ordered and the girls agreed. At least one problem was solved and they started to sneak to the exit. She hoped that one of the ghouls or Gerard was able to inform the cavalry, i.e. LaCroix who would send the Sheriff or whomever, but Katherine would really prefer the Sheriff.

It was a great advantage that Paulina knew the building and had this handy discipline, but it was not that useful, hence the communication problem. Katherine was used to the fast and efficient way of the military, but not Paulina. They bumped into a pair of Sabbat vampires, who were really happy about finding the trio. Katherine managed to take one out, but the second was not as careless and pinned them down in a corner on the floor and she got shot several times. Some shots were absorbed by her fortitude but some were not.

"I just wish for a grenade," she hissed between her teeth and Cecilia was about to go into a total panic.

"What should we do? Katherine, do something, I beg you!" And a salve of bullets hit the wall near her.

"Just shut up and cover your head! I'm thinking already!" The foe stopped shooting and Katherine fired some bullets back, always keeping in mind not to waste too much ammo. Shit! Now it was really time for the Sheriff to arrive. _'Think, just think! When you are pinned down, what should you do? Send a man through an alternative route to take the enemy out, but there is no other man! They're covering me but I don't trust them.'_ They could also just fire a bullet into her back, so that was a no-go. So there was just one more option: The Rambo option, and that would hurt. A lot. Vampire or not, she couldn't take a full magazine of an Uzi without risking her unlife. Her planning was interrupted by a scream from Cecilia who held her arm, which was bleeding. Oh Jesus Christ now if she would survive that, she needed to survive LaCroix's fury. Katherine used her blood to improve her strength, and made a frontal charge toward the shovelhead who just reloaded and then fired surprised at her, pumping at least a good dozen bullets into her before Katherine was able to reach him, blowing him straight in the face with the butt of her rifle. She could hear how his nose broke and let loose her weapon to grab his head and turn it with a strong wrench to the side, breaking his neck. Now he was only ash and she needed some seconds to collect her senses again, feeling how cold blood oozed out of the bullet wounds. Somehow Katherine had become used to that feeling.

"Katherine! Are you all right! That was totally awesome!" Cecilia touched her shoulder and Katherine ignored her.

"Stop screaming and start running," she ordered in a cold military tone and Paulina just approved of that, looking horrified past them. The pack now knew their location and they were able to reach a balcony at the first floor of the villa, but it was a dead end. They were surrounded from every possible route of escape, except for one.

"We need to jump!" Katherine ordered and Paulina nodded, jumping down without further hesitation and landing safely on the ground. Only Cecilia again made problems.

"Down there? How? That's so high!" Her voice was trembling and scared.

"Paulina just jumped! You're a fucking vampire! Just jump, dammit!" Now Katherine was really pissed, but Cecilia wasn't listening. So Katherine slung her rifle onto her back, and then grabbed Cecilia and heaved her over her shoulder, wasting again more blood to enhance her strength temporarily as she jumped down with the screaming Princess.

Now she felt a bit exhausted, and dropped Cecilia with intentional carelessness onto the ground. She was already injured and Katherine was sure to receive punishment for that, so she could also use this opportunity to show how much she really cared for LaCroix's little dolly: Not at all.

At last the cavalry arrived to clean the villa of the Sabbat vampires and to cover this mess up from the local media. Without a doubt Katherine knew that LaCroix was now informed of the Sabbat raid. Not only because of the cleaning crew, but because he stepped out of a limousine just as they ran to safety behind the front line where the Prince was standing.

Just behind his limousine, another one stopped by and with a sour face the Toreador Primogen slammed the door.

"I want an explanation!" he roared and was less upset as he saw Paulina unharmed.

"As do I," LaCroix replied and assessed Katherine, then Cecilia. She couldn't tell if he was pissed or not. His face remained calm and obscure, like his voice but Katherine had the bad feeling that it was only his great skill in self-control which prevented him from stomping her into the ground right here, right now. "We will talk in my office, Primogen." And the said Kindred turned around on his heel with Paulina in tow, returning to his limousine.

"Get in," the Prince ordered coldly and Cecilia vanished into the limousine, but as Katherine attempted to enter it he stopped her. "Not you." Those two words somehow hurt her more than the bullets in her stomach. The car door was closed by the chauffeur and the Prince's limousine drove off. Katherine felt like a dumb idiot. How could she even think for a second that that sentence was directed at her? First she let out some stray chuckles, then burst into laughter like she was now totally batshit, but after a few seconds it was over.

"What are you laughing about?" Surprisingly Dean stepped beside her and looked at her in a strange manner.

"My own imbecility." Still chuckling, she turned her head towards him.

"You're on the cleaning crew?" she asked and Dean let out a long-drawn sigh.

"Yeah, I messed up the assignment with that pestilence shit, so the Prince put me back on cleaning duty." He just shrugged and Katherine couldn't understand how he had messed that up. The pestilence was taken care of. Why should he have failed?

"I don't get it. The plaguebearers are all dead. What have you messed up?" LaCroix must have had a really bad night to punish Dean for a successful mission.

"I asked you for help, the Anarchs got wind of it and were pissed. I was some kind of sign of Camarilla goodwill and supposed to help the Anarchs out. But, well end of story: You helped me, they don't like you and they were pissed, so I screwed it up. Cigarette?" Dean reached one out to her and Katherine just looked at it dumbfounded.

"You're not upset with me, because I screwed it up?" Again he just shrugged.

"It was my own fault. I shouldn't have asked you for help but then again, dealing with the Anarchs sucks." Slowly she took the cigarette. Katherine didn't smoke, but she's dead now. Why should it matter?

"And the Prince? Wasn't he pissed?" Her question was cautious, because Katherine could guess why Dean needed to be on good terms with the Anarchs: The mummy of Messerach. Dean lit his cigarette and then Katherine's.

"I don't know. I'm still alive so I guess not. Without a doubt he's sent another poor bastard to those punks. Nice job by the way, getting those two chicks out." Hey, Dean complimented her? Now that was pretty strange.

"You gave me a compliment and didn't call me lapdog even once? You've been hit on the head by a bat?" Inhaling the warm smoke of the cigarette, she started coughing. "Ah shit, I forgot how awful that was. If you're dead it's not better." And Dean chuckled.

"You'll get used to it. You miss it, that I call you lapdog? I can start with it again if you like." He gave her a sarcastic grin.

"No, just...it's strange. Dean..." She turned around to him and looked him straight in the face. "Sorry for that thing in Germany. I was pretty egotistical and had I just stayed as ordered, Liz would still be alive." Now she could understand Dean's point after her conversation with Cecilia. At that point she was just like that rich, spoiled Princess.

"As long as you get it," he smiled and put his hand on her shoulder, puffing some smoke into the air. "Before I forget it: I've sent you some probes of liquor to your club. You should check them out."

"If I survive the Prince's fury, I will. I also messed this assignment up. His childe got hurt and I was responsible for her security." Katherine sighed and took another breath from the cigarette. This time it was not as bad as the first.

"Did she break herself a fingernail?" He smiled and Katherine couldn't help but chuckle a little bit as he put out his cigarette. "Well, that's it. All cleaned and so on. The Sheriff was pretty accurate. Need a ride back to Downtown?"

"The Sheriff's always pretty accurate in exterminating Kindred," she said giving him an amused look. "Then let's go. I need a shower." And some blood. Sadly, she would find it the fastest at the Venture Tower.

* * *

AN: Gehirnstuerm draw an awsome picture. Words can't describe it, so just see for yourself: shyndra .deviantart .com/art/LaCroix-Cowboy-Style-147647049

I still have to laugh everytime I see it XD There's also a coloured version in her favs.

That's it for this year folks! I wish you all a happy new year and thank you for following the story! Also a special sign of gratitude to my main reviewers, who review every chapter. You are also responsible for the fact that the updates are coming very frequent and fast. The same goes to my Betareader Vivienne!

See you next year!


	19. And all my dreams, torn asunder

Katherine felt more and more concerned the nearer they came to Downtown. _'It was a trap...it was a trap...'_ she repeated constantly in her mind and made a worried face. Dean didn't ask her what was up now. Perhaps he could imagine why she was so silent, that it was because of the assignment she messed up, but that was not Katherine's only concern. In fact she had a lot of concerns and strangely they were all connected. Like how just after speaking to some sort of LaCroix hallucination about how she hated Cecilia, she had received an assignment to be her bodyguard.

"You should consider joining the Scourge. With your abilities you've got a lot of potential," Dean suddenly said to her, right as they hit Downtown.

"Sorry that I ask, but what is the Scourge?" Sounded pretty damn uncomfortable.

"We're the cleaning crew like you said. We purge the city of unwelcome Kindred rabble like the Sabbat, Caitiffs and so on. In fact, two of us picked you up after you were illegally sired," he said and gave her a short smile, then looked back to the road. "We're not very popular but there's a lot of unwanted Kindred rabble."

"How charming," was her dry answer. "So you now want that unwanted rabble to be in your ranks? Ironic, isn't it?" At least she fulfilled the 'unpopular' requirement. "I'll consider it, and to whom do I have to report?"

"That's the trick: To the Prince." An amused smile accompanied Dean's sentence.

"Why did I expect that answer?" With a sigh, Katherine looked out the window to her right. "As I said: I'll consider it after I survive the royal wrath of doom of His Majesty himself, or you can sweep up my ashes from his basement or wherever his guillotine is standing." Dean had to laugh at those words.

"The Sheriff is right in his office, so you don't have a long way." And they turned into the street where the Venture Tower was, stopping in front of it.

"How comforting." Katherine stripped off her jacket to wrap it around the rifle, so no one could spot it. "Well, I've survived worse situations than that. Could it become any worse?" She smiled and got out of the car, walking to the tower entrance.

"Hey!" Dean yelled after her. "Good luck and don't forget to contact me because of the shipment!" Katherine nodded, and raised her hand to give him the sign that she had heard him. Soon after that, Dean drove away and Katherine stood in the main hall, about to pass by Chunk.

"I should tell you that Mr. LaCroix is awaiting your return in his office," Chunk said and Katherine closed her eyes for a second. He didn't waste a moment, did he?

"Thanks Chunk, I'm as good as there. I promise this time." She smiled weakly as Chunk gave her a disbelieving gaze, and considering what happened the last time he gave her such a message from LaCroix he had good reason to doubt her words. At least he didn't spot her bullet holes, for there were some questions she didn't want to have to answer. She stepped once more into the elevator of eternal damnation. It should've descended down instead of up, like it was bringing her down to hell. Katherine had an unusually bad feeling as she walked into LaCroix's office. Everything was normal, like the lingering Cecilia and the stiff Sheriff. The Prince was sitting at his desk as he so often did, so why this bad feeling?

"I apologize for my delay, sir." Katherine saluted and was of the opinion to just obey for now. Perhaps it would soothe him a little bit. She knew enough about his behaviour to know that he was upset, because he nearly sliced the paper with his pen, producing a ripping sound. When he was calm, his hand flew light and fast over the documents, barely making a noise.

"The Toreador Primogen is not jubilant about this event, and neither am I," he spoke and again didn't look at her face.

"I can imagine that," Katherine mumbled, and bit her tongue as LaCroix silenced her with a murderous gaze. Oh crap. That was not good by any means. Did it upset him that much? Cecilia didn't even have a flesh wound, it was just a graze shot. A vampire wouldn't die from that. He should have told Cecilia more about fortitude, like he did with her. He stood up slowly from his chair and Katherine didn't flinch as he stepped to the window, crossing his arms behind his back.

"You disappoint me." Katherine could feel a big lump building up in her throat. "You are presumably fornicating with ghouls and now not even able to execute my orders properly." What? Fornicating with ghouls? What the hell was he talking about? Did he get wind of last night's events with Mercurio, or worse: Had it actually been the Prince last night and not a hallucination? Her head now started to hurt.

"Prince LaCroix, I assure you I'm not fornicating with ghouls, I just fed upon one of them." Not a lie and no word about the booze. In her sentence there were no bad things to discover. "And as for Miss Cecilia's injury I apologize. You are right that I failed to follow your order." Katherine decided that it was better just to keep her head low like Cecilia should have done in the villa. She needed to swallow her pride to get here out unharmed. At least it was a good plan to stay calm and choose her words carefully. There was a short period of silence where no one said anything, but Katherine could feel how Cecilia stared at the scenery. Did she denounce her? If that's the case, that spoiled Princess would pay for this!

"It has come to my attention that you and Mr. Foley are getting along quite well." Still he didn't face her and Katherine had to wonder who Mr. Foley was. Ah yes right! That was Dean's last name.

"We came at last to terms after the bad start in Germany." Why did LaCroix have an interest in that? "He suggested that I should join the Scourge." Finally the Prince turned around and looked straight at her, but again his expression said nothing.

"I won't allow that." What a surprise. "And I will not allow you to interfere with my intentions for a truce with the Anarchs." That was the point where Katherine hit her inner alarm button: The Ankaran Sarcophagus topic, or now the Messerach topic. Strauss was right about how LaCroix still wanted that damn mummy by any means! To spot that you didn't need to be super smart. He turned back to the window and let his gaze wander over the city.

"You sabotaged them with your interference and now I stand again at the beginning. Do you know what that means?" His voice was low and that was the reason why it set her even more on alert.

"No. I don't..." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "...Prince LaCroix, I would never sabotage you in any way. You should know that ---"

"Silence!" Furious, he turned around and Katherine reacted by actually leaping backwards. Shit! That was bad! Even worse than she imagined and how could she have been able to imagine that? She'd calculated that he would be angry about the accident with Cecilia's arm, but of all things not that! Not that crucial topic! "Miss Cecilia, leave my office." Katherine could see that Cecilia nearly fled from the office and she wanted to do the same. Slowly LaCroix walked toward Katherine, never letting her out of his furious gaze.

"You. Of all people you, preventing me from getting what I want! Didn't I promise you a place at my side? Is this how you thank my clemency, my guidance, my generosity?" He clenched his fists and Katherine could see how they were shaking as he lifted them and again she had déjà vu of the unpleasant kind. "My..." He stopped, like he was fighting with himself not to say the next words and then he let his arms fall. "...generosity." His voice was calm again, but Katherine knew that she was doomed. By god she wasn't Gary who could hide from the Prince's wrath!

"Sir, I assure you I didn't know about Mr. Foley's assignment. If I had, I would have of course done nothing." She wasn't on good terms with the Anarchs, but it was better than nothing to try. "Prince LaCroix, if you give me the chance to ---"

"Your chances are depleted!" His head jerked back to look at her face. Well, if that was the case then she would let the cat out of the sack.

"I know you want the mummy." Those words were surprisingly calm considering her situation, but like he said: Her chances were depleted. It was all or nothing. "And with all due respect sir, not to tell you what to do, I don't think you are in need of it."

"Of that fact I'm aware. In wine lies truth, or whatever Mercurio had drunk." Oh holy mother of god! It was him last night! He even knew that it was Mercurio! Now Katherine felt not only exhausted but weak, her legs like pudding. "Do you want it for yourself?" His eyebrows knitted together in anger. That was absurd!

"No sir, of course not." The disbelief was also written on her face.

"Don't lie to me!" Shit! Would she mess up Strauss' assignment? LaCroix sighed and walked back to the window, again looking out. "Begin," he said and Katherine was confused. Begin with what, and as the bulky Sheriff started moving her face showed fear. "You will never cross me again," the Prince said in a calm tone, and as the Sheriff came nearer she slowly walked backwards.

"No..." Her voice was just a weak breath, horrified and scared. Would he really kill her like this? Would he really kill her now, after all that happened? After all that she had done for him? "Prince LaCroix, please! Reconsider this!" Her pleading fell on deaf ears. Should she just spill Strauss' involvement? Would that change anything? Probably not. It would just be one more point on his list, 'Reasons for Killing Her'.

"Why did you betray me?" The Prince spoke against the glass of the window, but she was able to clearly understand those words as the Sheriff grabbed her head with his giant paw. Katherine desperately held the Sheriff's wrist but she knew it was useless.

"I didn't! I swear to god, I would never betray you!" Her voice nearly cracked.

"I told you about leadership. It is I who bears the burden and still there are hundreds of people, thinking their solution is the sounder one. You are one of them." She could see how he lifted his hand, and as the Sheriff exerted some pressure on her skull a muffled scream came out of her mouth. It felt like her skull was bursting; her eyes widened in horror and she flounced like a fish without water in the sand of a coast.

"No! Please, I'm not! I don't want you to fall into that trap again! My loyalty belongs to you, only you! Prince LaCroix, please! Make him ---"

"Silence her." And the other huge hand of the Sheriff grabbed her throat, lifting her up from the ground and she couldn't breathe. Without breathing, there were no words. "It is not my fault. It is your own," he said like it was trivial. Did he just want to snap her neck, so that her brain wouldn't leave stains on his expensive parquet floor? If she could cry, she would it do now, but no tears passed her eyes. "Forgive me." The last words her sire heard and in an unspeakable irony, were those also now the last words she would hear? Katherine could feel how the bones of her skull were somehow moving together, so the pressure on her brain created an indescribable pain. Her mouth kept moving, forming silent words begging to make the Sheriff stop. The pain was overwhelming as even her flesh seemed to move on its own, creating a feeling in her stomach like thousands of burning needles producing searing pain. It wasn't long before she couldn't bear it anymore and her body went slack, hanging like a doll whose strings were cut and once more the mercy of a blackout embraced her, accompanied by the sound of cracking bones in her neck.

The aching of her throat was soothed by a well-known substance. Cold blood ran down and greedily Katherine swallowed it.

"Easy, easy. You'll spill it onto your bed," a familiar melodic voice said in a soft tone and took the glass away from her mouth. Katherine wanted to say something but was interrupted by her own coughing.

"What are you doing here?" And where was she? Only seeing everything as a blur, combined with a bad headache was a bit distracting. Katherine only knew that this was the bed from her apartment.

"I...I heard you screaming in Sebastian's office and after some time the Sheriff carried you out and dropped you onto your bed. What happened?" Cecilia asked and looked concerned, as far as Katherine could judge, because her vision was still smudgy.

"That, I would also like to know." She rubbed her neck which still ached and her head felt like it would explode at any second. She thought she'd have been dead by now, from the Sheriff smashing her skull like a melon or breaking her neck like it was just a thin stick. "And I ask you again: What are you doing here?" Katherine tried to get up but was stopped by Cecilia.

"You should rest." And with gentle force she pushed Katherine back into bed. "I was worried. You weren't moving at all. I didn't know what to do until I had the idea with the blood." She pointed to the empty glass on the small bedside table. "If this was because of my injury, I'm sorry. I didn't want that to happen and I never could've imagined that Sebastian would hurt you."

"Torture would describe it better," she corrected Cecilia and slid up a bit to lean against the back of the bed. Wow, the little Princess really thought the whole world spun around her? Well, it wasn't Katherine's task to correct that kind of world view. "The Sheriff squeezed my skull like an orange for breakfast." She imitated the motion with her hands and Cecilia looked terrified.

"I'm really, really sorry. I can't believe that Sebastian could really do such a thing..." She actually sounded like she wasn't lying.

"You don't even know the half of it..." Katherine sighed. Was Cecilia really this naive and didn't know anything? It was a possibility, but more likely was the other solution: Cecilia was here to hear how she would now curse LaCroix. Katherine wasn't dead, and if her death was what Cecilia wanted then her plan had failed. So wouldn't it be just perfect to express pretend sympathy and get some incriminating evidence that would seal her fate? Most likely. "Hey, if you don't mind I need some time alone to think." And she slid back under the blanket. "Thanks for taking care of me." Putting on a warm fake smile Katherine grabbed Cecilia's hand and pressed it for a second to show her 'gratefulness'. Cecilia seemed to swallow it, giving her a happy smile in return as she stood up from the edge of the bed.

"It's the least I can do. Thanks for saving me in the villa and if you need something, just call for me okay?" Katherine nodded and let her hand loose, waiting in the bed until Cecilia was gone. She then stood up and went to the fridge to get another blood pack. Well but what now? She needed to talk with Strauss immediately, but at this point it would be really bad timing as she wasn't in a state of mind to think properly. Even more so because of what the Prince had done to her. How could she support him now, after he showed her that she was nothing more to him than an obstacle in the way of that damn mummy? Why should she help him not walk again into his own doom? Because of the Sabbat? Well, yes. That was the point but not a particularly grave one besides the fact that she could perhaps get clues about her mother's murderer.

"Enough pondering," Katherine mumbled and walked to her ammo stash, taking the book out. Perhaps it would be wise to study it now if she wanted to visit the Regent tomorrow night, even with a hurting head. Just memorizing things and not thinking about them, that she could do later and she didn't want to think about how not only her body was injured but also something else.

Katherine surprised herself with how fast she was able to finish the book. Well, it wasn't very big, but considering her condition it was pretty surprising. She didn't think while reading but that didn't matter in her opinion.

LaCroix didn't call her, so she was able to go out of the tower and visit Strauss at the chantry.

"Good evening neonate. I can't remember having called for you." His deep voice was a little bit calming.

"I want to return the book and need to talk with you about yesterday's chain of events." Katherine handed the book to him and he made a gesture toward one of the sofas. Katherine told him everything in detail about what had happened the night before. About the Sabbat raid on the Toreador Primogen's villa, and about LaCroix's punishment for Katherine's interference in the matter of the Ninth Circle — and that was the point where Strauss' face showed deep concern.

"This is most worrisome, neonate. Prince LaCroix is still deep in the claws of his Beast's lust for power, and I have to apologize to you." The Regent looked her firmly in the eyes. "I was aware that Mr. Foley was dealing with the plague in the name of the Anarchs. That is why I sent you on the same mission." Katherine needed some time to let those words pass through her mind.

"What?!" More she wasn't able to say. Strauss knew what he was doing? So he sent her on this mission on purpose, well aware of the fact that it could piss off LaCroix? What the hell was wrong with that Tremere? "So you approved of the fact that I could have been killed by the Sheriff, because I got in the Prince's way?"

"I assure you that I didn't, neonate. I made a mistake in underestimating the Prince's lust for power, but he didn't kill you. So I was right about ---" That's it! Now all the anger she suppressed from yesterday night boiled up, spilling out like magma from an erupting volcano.

"A MISTAKE?" She was louder than she intended to be. "Can you even imagine the pain of having your skull smashed and your flesh somehow moving beyond your control?" He'd also used her like a toy.

"No, I can't. Please calm down." Despite Katherine's outburst, Strauss remained calm. "Nothing is lost, we ---" Again she interrupted him.

"There is no 'we' anymore. I'm not a toy you can just use!" Getting orders and following rules were both fine with her, but being used as cannon fodder was something she had a problem with and she stood up from the sofa, stepping to the exit.

"This is not only a medal with two sides, but a whole prism with more facets than you can see with one glimpse. Bear that in mind, neonate. I am sure you will make the right decision." There was something strange about the way Strauss said those words, but she didn't want to hear them anymore.

"Spare me the riddles. I quit. Rescue this sinking ship on your own and don't use me as a dumb pawn. I'm just a rat who leaves it now." And with those words she left. Perhaps she should have listened to the Anarchs but it was already too late for that. She didn't know what to do now, walking aimlessly through the streets of Downtown. She wasn't even in the mood to go to the Confession; besides she still hadn't finished the accounting. It was all a mess but could the downward spiral lead her even deeper into it? She was certain that this was now impossible.

"Hello Katherine." A man stepped out of a dark alley and smiled at her. "Long time no see. How is it going with the Prince?" Katherine could recognize this Kindred anytime.

"You, you son of a bitch!" she hissed and grabbed Caleb by his sleeve, pushing him back into the alley against a wall of bricks. "You're dead!" And she dragged out her gun, holding it right under his chin. He just lifted his hands and smirked.

"Hey, hey not so fast!" he chuckled. "I'm not here to fight or to harm you. I just want to talk."

"Your last words? No problem, spill them shovelhead and then admire your brain on the wall!" Releasing the safety catch of the gun and strengthening the pressure of the barrel against Caleb's chin, Katherine slowly pulled the trigger back.

"Wait! I want to make you an offer! A normal deal," he said, now more hectic, and Katherine loosened the trigger a bit.

"An offer? Why in all heavens would you want to offer me something? Just again a trick like back in Germany?" Did he really think she was that dumb?

"You want the murderer of your mother. In return, I need your services." That smile of Caleb's was confident, hence Katherine gave him a questioning look.

"Why would you Sabbat scum need my services? I blew up your warehouse and cleaned out the Hallowbrook Hotel. You should kill me for my actions." Which they had also announced when three of them ambushed her after that little warehouse fireworks display.

"Killing a formidable foe would be such a waste. Making you an ally is much more reasonable and I know that you are searching for other...perspectives." Now he had her complete attention and she put down the gun, releasing his sleeve.

"And this perspective would be?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and Caleb straightened his suit again.

"Help me and I'll deliver you the murderer of your mother on a silver plate." The murderer of her mother. Katherine had found no clues in all these months and now she really had a chance? But it was Caleb on the other hand. A trap would be much more likely.

"Of course and you are absolutely trustworthy." The tone was sarcastic, but despite that Caleb still smiled.

"I knew you would say that," he waved with his finger. "That's why I will make the first step. I'll introduce you to the Bishop of this city. He will of course ask for some favours to ensure your loyalty, like getting out some information from the Prince's tower."

"In other words I should be a spy for you," she snorted. "And why should you deliver me to one of you?" And why was she even listening?

"Spy sounds so fiendish. You would be an informant, and my fellow Cainite made a mistake. We Cainites of the Sabbat have no qualms about eradicating the weak. He is weak and you are strong. A fair trade, isn't it?" Sounded logical to her and she nodded. The Camarilla and LaCroix just used her as cannon fodder; the Anarchs were of course not an option. She'd never thought about the Sabbat.

"Aren't you unorganized like the Anarchs and even worse?" And Caleb laughed, amused.

"Camarilla propaganda," he spat. "We Lasombra organize the Sabbat and just because we have another view of our existence doesn't mean that we are raving, stupid beasts. Well some of us are but they usually don't last long." Again his explanation was logical. How could they give the Camarilla a headache for so long otherwise? "Come with me and join the Sabbat." It really sounded tempting and Katherine put her gun back into its holster.

"Tell me more while you bring me to the Bishop." Katherine made her decision. It was time to go after her own plans, rather than being used for those which were not her own.

"It will be a pleasure," Caleb smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Seemed like the spiral downwards was not at its end.

* * *

AN: And this chapter ends with Kat probably joining the Sabbat, becoming a Antitribu. Fun isn't it? Oh in the case some of you may ask now "How could there be a possible romance between LaCroix and Kat?". Good question, because if you look at the description of the story it says LaCroix/OC. OC also includes Cecilia, bwahahahaha *runs away before beeing lynched*


	20. A faustian bargain

Once again the city felt alien to Katherine. It was like being foreign matter, while Caleb guided her through the dark alleys, and she had the illusion that she finally felt a bit comfortable in Los Angeles. Pretty much a lie to comfort herself, wasn't it?

"About the bishop: Wasn't Vick the one?" Katherine remembered that Vick had called himself a bishop and she had no doubts that he was with the Sabbat.

"Oh he was the self-proclaimed bishop of Downtown, but I don't need to tell you what fate has befallen him." Caleb sounded like it didn't matter to him, but Katherine was a little bit concerned that she'd get into problems for that later and Caleb seemed to notice her concerns. "Don't worry. The bishop doesn't mind that, or that you killed Vick's most loyal pack members. There won't be any acts of vengeance or something of the sort." Still Katherine wasn't really convinced but Caleb's logic sounded plausible.

"What is a pack?" Well, she knew what it was with regard to an animal's social life, like a wolf having a pack and so on, and Caleb's explanation confirmed her first thought. Each Sabbat vampire was a member of a pack from the moment he was Embraced and stayed in this pack for the rest of his unlife. He had to remain a member of the pack that created him and she would be a member of Caleb's pack, because he introduced her to the Sabbat. Great. Just a new foster sire, but one more question remained. "How does it come about, that this pack doesn't tear themselves apart?"

"Unlike the Camarilla we are loyal to the Sabbat and won't be distracted by intrigues against other Cainites. For the good of the Sabbat we can banish such rabbles and achieve our goals." Okay, nice speech but that still left her question unanswered.

"And how do you enforce such loyalty? I doubt only by words." Katherine had the feeling there was a catch somewhere and Caleb smiled.

"We are all engaged in a blood bond, or Vinculum as we call it. It is a special kind of blood bond we create between all of us in a rite." His explanation and mentioning of this blood bond thing made Katherine stop and Caleb did the same, turning around to her with a questioning expression. So Strauss was right about the blood bond? This really existed? Once more her head felt like it was spinning upside down and her lips started to form words, but Caleb was faster. "Ah I know what you want to say: But a blood bond can only exist between two Cainites." That was not actually what she had in mind, but it was good that Caleb didn't know why she was startled at the moment. "It's not as strong or extreme as a full blood bond, so no need to worry that you'll fall in love with the whole pack," he chuckled, amused. "And since you're a former cape you first need to show your goodwill, but I already mentioned that." Katherine nodded and caught up to him as they reached the end of the alley, and Caleb waved for a taxi. At the moment her mind wasn't really in the present, and gladly Caleb didn't talk since the taxi driver could hear them, so she had once more time to think about the recent information. Somehow it felt like everything was way too much for her to handle — and if the rare occasion happened that a problem was solved, a bunch of new ones would pop out of nowhere. Was it a fact, that she and LaCroix were really engaged in such a blood bond? Well, not a full one, though like Strauss said there was some kind of affection; but hands down, Katherine never had the impression that LaCroix showed her affection in any way and she just needed to remind herself of what happened yesterday night. A pretty strange affection for her taste and again there was a 'but': What if this was his way of showing his affection? His way of showing that she really disappointed him? An argument but still no reason to do such thing to her! Katherine didn't cross his plans and neither did she want that fucking mummy for herself. And Strauss had sent her on that assignment on purpose. It just made no sense!

"We've arrived." The taxi stopped and Caleb stepped out, so there was no time for her to ponder more. Perhaps later that night. They were in Beverly Hills and this was the first time Katherine was able to see this well-known part of Los Angeles. It really was a place for rich people, and it wouldn't have surprised her if LaCroix's limousine appeared out of the curve down the road but in that case she really would be fucked. She followed Caleb to one of the usual expensive looking villas. It was quite funny in Katherine's opinion that she was more of a part of high society in her death than when she was alive, when she'd never held any ideas of being in such a society. She followed Caleb who took a back entrance into the villa, leading both of them straight into a living room where an old looking Kindred was waiting. His black hair was combed back and he somehow looked foreign.

"Your Excellency, I don't think that I need to introduce this Cainite to you." Caleb bowed down to show his respect, but Katherine was just able to stare like a dumb idiot. It was without doubt a bad habit that everyone seemed to know her while she knew no one.

"Indeed that is not necessary, even if we haven't had any previous encounters, right Señora Falkner?" He spoke with a Spanish accent and if Katherine remembered correctly from Strauss' book, Clan Lasombra had searched for dominion more in the Mediterranean area of Europe, while the Ventrue focused on Northern Europe. Oh holy crap! She also remembered now, that Lasombra and Ventrue despised each other. She should have thought of that before but now it was, of course, too late.

"You know me, but I don't know you," she said and Caleb gave her a hard hit with his elbow as the bishop gave her an offended gaze. "Your Excellency," she hastily added his title, silently starting to count the faux pas she'd made.

"I will not notice this rudeness since you're not a member of the Sabbat, at least not yet. Why do you want to join us?" The bishop walked to a chair and sat down, always scrutinizing Katherine and her reactions. Honestly, that question was one she hadn't thought about, and she searched for a real reason besides Caleb's offer for information about the murder of her mother.

"The Camarilla has degenerated, and is weak and blind to the upcoming signs of Gehenna. The Ventrue of the Camarilla, especially LaCroix, have forgotten themselves in financial struggles for their own goals, rather than those for the good of their fellow Cainites." It was something she'd read in Strauss' book and as she now let those passages out of her mouth and past her mind, they sounded true and she had a certain amount of sympathy for the Ventrue who joined the Sabbat. A nice memorized speech, but not convincing as far as Katherine was able to interpret from the expression of the bishop. She needed to add a bit of truth it seemed. "But the main reason is to find a new perspective and what my purpose as a Cainite is, because I doubt it is to be the puppet of LaCroix and do his selfish bidding." Everything in her unlife was spinning around the Prince and it felt like he was the fucking center of the universe, and this lit up the bishop's expression.

"Yes, you've made the right first step and I have to compliment Señor Walker," he made a nod in Caleb's direction, "that he showed you this kind of new perspective. You have passed the first test but you are still not a full member of the Sabbat. You need guidance and someone who will show you the right way." He reached for a bell which was placed on a small table next to his chair and rang it until someone opened the door, awaiting a command. "Bring him in," the bishop ordered and not a minute later a known face entered the room and Katherine's jaw dropped. It was the Ventrue Primogen. The supposed-to-be-dead Ventrue Primogen.

"I suppose you know each other, so you both can begin with more important things than introductions. Now leave." Both Ventrue did what they were ordered to do, and until the door to the room with the bishop and Caleb was closed Katherine didn't dare say a word, but the Primogen was faster than she.

"I know what you want to ask and I can tell you that I'm the real one. We managed to deceive LaCroix easily with my Final Death, since he had other things in mind." His tone was sarcastic and a bit amused.

"You were always a part of the Sabbat, Primogen?" Katherine asked, a bit hesitant because her brain was still busy trying to swallow this little surprise.

"For centuries," he laughed and walked through the big main hall toward some stairs which lead down into the basement. "And I'm not the Primogen anymore. Please call me Sir Hargreaves, because we will now be spending some time together Miss Falkner. I will be the sire you need and the sire the Prince never was for you, but my tutelage will be hard. I do not tolerate weak actions." Katherine followed him down the stairs and was not really able to imagine what this tutelage would look like.

"It's better than no tutelage at all." She had seen how inhumane the Sabbat was when dealing with Andrei and seeing the inside of the Hallowbrook Hotel, and that was the only point in which she was sure: Her humanity would suffer, and she didn't know if she was prepared for that but there was no going back now. The decision was made and she had to befriend the idea of making her hands really dirty. They were using her, but at least they didn't hide it and perhaps she could use them too? She was prepared for the same horrors as in the hotel or the sewers but there were no torn apart corpses, no blood or other Tzimisce abominations whatsoever in the basement. Hargreaves led her into a small room which consisted of a bed, a chair and a table. That's all.

"This will be your room for the next nights. You won't get any blood here and don't even think to beg for it, or I'll kill you with my own hands for insulting our blood like our Camarilla brothers and sisters." Well, that was a clear order and Katherine just nodded as he lit a small candle in the room. It was the only light source.

"When will the rites of Vinculum start?" It would surprise her if they didn't insist that she do this, and the expression on Hargreaves' face darkened. "I mean you need proof of my loyalty. Wouldn't the Vinculum be ideal for this?" Without a doubt it was healthier for her not to change her allegiance carelessly.

"You are sharper than is good for you," he chuckled. "I have to admit that he has good taste for Embracing you, even if you were just picked halfheartedly." Hargreaves knew something and of course Katherine's hunger for answers was now awake.

"You know why my sire Embraced me?" Even if he would now smack her around for this rude question it was worth trying.

"You are indeed absolutely clueless but I can't blame you for that. Only three people know the real reason and two of them won't tell you. Of course I do, and if you succeed your final test of loyalty, being the Sabbat's eyes and ears in the Venture Tower, I will tell you everything — and this is also the reason why you won't be introduced to the pack now. The less a spy knows, the better. You need to survive without the help of the Sabbat if you want us to accept you." And a smile rushed over his dark expression. That was a deal, and at least they told her directly how insane the assignment was. "Your exact task I will tell you after you survive my tutoring and stop asking questions. We've wasted enough time." Katherine just nodded, and during the next nights she only got out of the small room to get beaten up by Hargreaves.

She already knew from Andrei that Sabbat Cainites didn't deny the Beast, and that was the goal for which Hargreaves aimed. His whole tutelage would teach her to accept her Beast and give in to its whisperings. Hargreaves ordered her to use a sword instead of a gun, without telling her how to properly fight with such an ancient weapon, and so the fights did not last long. The whole purpose of this procedure was to bring her into a frenzy, and as he'd told her they didn't feed her blood but of course she fought it. LaCroix had told her that losing to the Beast was a sign of weakness and not acceptable, but what did that count for now? After the second day she finally lost it and charged at Hargreaves like a rabid dog, trying to kill him with her bare hands and nearly ripping an eye out of his face. The next night she awoke he was already waiting for her with a satisfied face.

"You've done well in passing this first test and I will now give you proper instructions for the final one." His voice sounded like it was far away and Katherine felt like every bone in her body was broken or worthless jelly. Even getting up from the bed felt like climbing up the fucking Himalaya and her craving for blood was as bad as the past one after waking up in her apartment after the exploding sarcophagus. "You will open to us the doors of the Venture Tower. It won't be a raid in the usual way, and the details don't matter to you. Just make sure in a proper event – and you will know when the time is right – that the Prince will be defenseless." So she should now help kill him again because the first attempt failed? Well at least there was something in it for her and before Katherine was even able to say a word she felt how a stake was driven through her heart.

As the stake was removed, Katherine found herself in a dark alley of Downtown, together with Caleb.

"Sorry for the rude transportation methods but otherwise you would have frenzied at some point. Now go and feed and don't forget: Humans are just prey. Drink from them freely, because it is your right." Hargreaves had also told her that, but she'd never killed a human while feeding on him and Katherine had the impression that Caleb would watch her until she disappeared into the tower. He handed over her gun and vanished with a wink. Still she felt like a pile of crap, but that was all. She wasn't even angry or upset for what Hargreaves had done. Katherine couldn't tell why but perhaps it was the fact that he was more or less honest, not using some sweet talk to make a dirty assignment sound less dirty. With a moan she used the brick wall to get back on her feet. Even her clothes made it look like she had gone through an unpleasant experience.

"Hey ma'am? Everything okay?" Katherine turned around and spotted a policeman who glimpsed into the alleyway, his hand resting on the gun in his side holster.

_Suitable food._

"Come here." She was glad that her domination discipline didn't need blood and the officer stepped toward her like she'd ordered him to do. Without wasting more time she bit into his neck, sucking greedily the warm and sweet blood, hearing how his heart was beating slower. She wanted to stop and nearly pushed the unconscious officer away but Caleb interfered.

"You are still hungry. Just take it all. Suck him dry. It's just a human. Humans also kill to survive, to eat so why shouldn't you?" Yes, he was right and it was way easier. Who cares? She'd already killed humans with a gun but still it felt strange to kill someone this way. His heartbeat was so silent and weak, getting even weaker until it was no more. He was the first and after she realized that the man was dead, Katherine was only able to stare at his pale, bloodless face.

"See? It will get easier with time." Caleb laid a hand on her shoulder and Katherine swallowed down a lump in her throat.

"How do I explain my absence to LaCroix?" Katherine didn't know why just that thought came to her mind.

"Come up with something. This is your task now, isn't it?" Lying to the Prince was now her task? Yes, great. Lying to someone who was able to spot her lies in the blink of a second. "So good luck, oh and don't forget to tell us when you move out with the Sheriff!" And Caleb vanished again.

"Yeah, right...luck and information." Still staring at the corpse she straightened her clothes and made her way to the tower, ignoring Chunk who told her that LaCroix wanted to see her. Katherine already knew that and she was already on her way but stopped right in front of the huge door. A muffled female voice could be heard and she must have been nearly yelling because Katherine had no problem recognizing Cecilia's voice. What she said was hardly understandable but the tone implied that she was angry. Very angry, which somehow pleased Katherine. It might be rude but she took the freedom to open the door, because missing this scene would be a waste, right? Only Katherine didn't expect to see Cecilia pointing a shotgun at LaCroix and it was her reflexes which took over her actions and not her brain. Before Cecilia noticed Katherine she had already pulled out her gun, aiming at the Princess and walking slowly toward her, barely noticing the Prince's reaction.

"Put that shotgun down." To say that she didn't want to harm her would be a lie.

"No! He's responsible for all of this!" Cecilia yelled and Katherine had no idea what was going on. "Don't come any further or I'll kill him!"

"Put that thing down before you get hurt and we can talk about this." Guess Hargreaves never thought about such a situation, that LaCroix's own childe would blow his head away. It was somehow ironic.

"As I said: I have nothing to do with this, so stop your irrational behaviour Miss Cecilia." Despite having the barrel of a shotgun aimed at his face, LaCroix was pretty calm.

"You're lying! You killed my parents and I never would've had the idea that it could be you if you hadn't tortured Katherine!" Cecilia's index finger on the trigger jerked a bit, but there was no shot and Katherine again had déjà vu. She was in the same situation – oh! Seemed like the Sabbat had tried the same with Cecilia but Hargreaves had other plans for LaCroix, else her assignment would be pretty pointless.

"Okay, listen Cecilia. Whatever happened to your parents it wasn't him. It's not his style and I was in the same situation. You wanted to visit them and now they are dead, right? It's the style of the Sabbat and not the Camarilla." But Cecilia still pointed the shotgun at the Prince and Katherine was able to see that the Princess was nervy. "You wanted to know something about guns right? My gun is a Heckler & Koch P8 from the German army. I call him Mr. Heckler and you know what?" Now Cecilia blinked, irritated. "Mr. Heckler is really durable. You can pull him through mud, the sands of Africa and the ice of Siberia, and he would still shoot a bullet but this comes with a price."

"Wha...what price?" Nervously Cecilia clenched her hand around the butt of the shotgun while Katherine made her way to her side, so that she was able to aim at Cecilia's hand.

"He's not very accurate. At the moment I'm aiming at non-vital parts of your body, but from this distance?" She shrugged and smiled. "I could hit your head instead of your lower body and I always fire more than one bullet when it comes to Kindred. Bad habit you know? I could kill you accidentally and that is most certainly not something any of us want." Well, she would enjoy it and according to LaCroix's expression he knew that Katherine had lied.

"As much as I loathe to admit it: Miss Falkner is right." He still cared for Cecilia which hurt Katherine, and she was convinced that if she shoved a shotgun in his face, LaCroix would never hesitate to give the order to kill her. Sadly he didn't give her the order to shoot Cecilia and even more sadly she really let the shotgun fall and ran out of LaCroix's office. With a sigh, Katherine put away her gun and picked the shotgun up off the floor, taking a look inside the barrel. There were no shells in it.

"It wasn't true that your gun is that inaccurate, am I right?" Katherine looked straight at his face and shrugged. Of course not but it would have been a nice excuse if she really would have needed to shoot. "Where have you been these past nights?" He stood up from his chair and leaned against the side of his desk, crossing his arms. Great. LaCroix just demonstrated how easily he was able to see through her lies and bluffs but during the elevator ride she had come up with a plan, courtesy of Maximillian Strauss. He said that LaCroix's enemies would exploit his weakness once again.

"I wanted to correct my mistake and get the mummy for you." There was a pause, a long pause between them and LaCroix never looked away from her face, using every second to observe any motions Katherine made.

"Why didn't you tell me your intention?" he finally asked and broke the uneasy silence. Katherine was glad the Sheriff wasn't present, else she would not have been able to stay calm.

"You would have certainly not approved of it." Easy to answer and hopefully he didn't want any details.

"Indeed, and your recent vigilante behaviour is inexcusable. Didn't I make that clear?" He especially emphasized the last sentence, giving Katherine a small hint about his new aggressive methods to make her obedient.

"Yes you did my Prince. It will never happen again." She couldn't stomp the reflex down to make a nervous glimpse at the spot where the Sheriff was usually standing.

"And aren't you of the opinion that I am in no need of it?" Immediately her eyes switched back to LaCroix who now glared at her and nervousness spread through her body. It would be good if his attention remained on the useless mummy but wouldn't it be suspicious if she changed her mind that quickly? What a crappy dilemma.

"If my Prince wants that mummy, he needs it. My opinion is not important. You are the leader and I don't have the competence to question it." _'Smooth!' _At least she thought that, but LaCroix's expression was an unpleasant one.

"I've had my fill of sycophants. What I need are adjutants I can trust." Would someone at least bother to explain what had happened in these few nights during her absence? First a raging Cecilia who wanted to kill her beloved _Sebastian_, and now that Sebastian LaCroix was asking Katherine – who'd made a deal with the Sabbat – about her opinion! She really would've liked to scream, 'What the fuck is going on here?'

"You don't trust me, so you're asking the wrong person for an honest opinion," she replied a bit more sharply than intended. Her mouth was this time faster than her brain, but it was a crucial topic. He'd hurt more than her body. More than she wanted to admit.

"I wouldn't ask you if I didn't trust you." Still he seemed to be calm, but Katherine bet that he was already pissed about her defiance.

"So the torture must have been my imagination." Her brain said it was a bad move but her ego – or something else – said it was the right thing, even if she put the assignment from her new allies at risk.

"It was not for that!" He slammed his fist on the desk but regained his self-control back in a second, though nonetheless Katherine jerked a bit. "And it wasn't torture. It was education." Wow, if that wasn't torture, Katherine didn't want to know what the word 'torture' had for a meaning in his vocabulary. Wasn't laissez-faire education developed in France? "You are my protégé and I need to know what you are doing." So it was about control?

"I don't care if you lock Cecilia in the tower, since she's your childe but I am not. My honest opinion? I'm glad not to be your childe, Prince LaCroix." Her brain screamed now that she had just crossed a line, but her ego was cheering. At last she said it, and then again half of it was a lie. The Prince raised an eyebrow and there was another unsettling pause where neither of them spoke a word until Katherine sighed. "I still hold the opinion that you don't need that mummy, which by the way would've certainly been diablerized by now if it had been an ancient vampire." Katherine looked down at the shotgun in her hand. She didn't want to look at him directly at the moment. Why? Perhaps she was feeling a little bit like a backstabbing throne robber, busy stomping that small echo of her conscience down and she reminded herself that she had her own plans.

"Then tell me, how should I manage this chaos?" he demanded to know and she could hear how he was now walking back and forth.

"Los Angeles was fine without the Camarilla for years. The Anarchs think we are a kind of occupying power. It is like Afghanistan." She was there for a year before quitting the army. LaCroix stopped his obsessive pacing and as Katherine looked up again, he was watching her curiously. Lord, did he not know about Afghanistan or did he just want to know where the parallels were? "The civilians think the forces are just more oppressors. You won't change the minds of people in a matter of days. It needs time and as far as I understand time can be very long for immortal beings. The U.S. forces are the most powerful army in the modern world and they have problems pacifying a poor country. It's the same with the Camarilla and Los Angeles. Prince LaCroix, you have power. More power than any Kindred in this city. It's just a question how you measure this power." He said nothing and again just stared at her. Perhaps he was pondering how to discipline her this time and if she needed to breathe, she would've held her breath now.

"I will...consider it," he said finally and Katherine relaxed a bit. "Before you're dismissed, I want to inform you that tomorrow night you will be assisting the Sheriff again. Those Sabbat beasts have recently become more active." How nice. A situation she needed to earn the trust of the mentioned sect. Caleb certainly had his fingers involved, because of his little hint to inform him about her moves with the Sheriff. "You may go now." LaCroix sat down in his chair and Katherine saluted like she always did and proceeded to exit his office.

"Katherine." As her first name echoed through the office, she nearly tripped over her feet. Did he just call her by her first name? No formal addressing?

"Yes my Prince?" To speak those three words she needed all her concentration. Else she would have stuttered like an idiot, and she didn't turn around. Why in all heavens was he always able to stun her like that? Why was he able to make her falter, needing to summarize all the arguments for why it was the right thing to betray him? It could be the blood bond.

"Please take a look at how Miss Cecilia is doing." Oh that was it? Comforting his little Princess?

"As you wish." Her fist clenched around the door handle, so that the knuckles drew out white on her skin.

"And don't shoot her with...Mr. Heckler." His tone was a bit sarcastic but Katherine couldn't laugh at it. Yes, she gave her guns and rifles a name, so what? Asshole! Restraining herself not to slam the door, she paced to the elevator. The Princess will sink together with the Prince! She would swear that on the grave of her mother.

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AN: I had some kind of evil writing blockade. Sucks though...thanks for Vivienne, Gehirnstuerm and Enova for shooing it away!

Meanwhile I published a One-Shot, so if you despise a certain fandom...read it for some lulz.


	21. Signs and portents

With a disgruntled expression on her face, Katherine shouldered the shotgun and knocked at Cecilia's door. Still she was mad at LaCroix for how he manipulated her, and she had the impression that the Prince knew about her feelings which gave her an unpleasant – no, embarrassed – feeling. Why wasn't he affected by the blood bond? He was acting like his usual self, or was he simply way better at obscuring his real intentions? He's the Prince, so masking his agenda is his nightly task, right? Well, she would never get an answer and it didn't matter anymore. She was just a toy for him who should move when he demanded it and any goodwill from her side was a waste. Now she would use him to achieve her own goals, period. The door opened leaving a small gap and a surprised Cecilia looked at her.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was low and Katherine rudely pushed the door fully open, pointing the barrel of the shotgun at Cecilia's face with a fluid motion. The Princess needed some time to comprehend the situation. "What? I don't understand...how...Katherine?" Stuttering, she leapt backwards and Katherine stepped in, smiled and pulled the trigger.

"Bang, you're dead." God, that was satisfying, but it would have been more so if the gun had been loaded. "If you want to shoot someone at least make sure your toy is loaded."

"That's not funny." Cecilia swallowed and gazed nervously at the shotgun which Katherine put down on the couch. Ironic. Just the same sentence Katherine had said a moment ago to Cecilia as she compared her to LaCroix.

"I had my laugh," she responded coldly and eyed Cecilia up and down. "Well, you seem to be fine. My task is done." LaCroix wasn't specific and Katherine automatically assumed that she just needed to look for physical injuries. That other thing was up to him. He's her sire, so it was his task to deal with Cecilia's brain garbage even if the thought alone that LaCroix would take the time to talk with her about the death of her parents pissed Katherine off. Wasn't that somehow sick?

"Please wait." Cecilia grabbed Katherine's sleeve as she wanted to leave the apartment and with an annoyed gaze she turned around.

"What? You look fine and that's the entirety of what the Prince asked for." Impatiently she dragged her sleeve out of Cecilia's hand and straightened it, giving her a look of despise. At least her coat was not torn up like the rest of her clothing, so she was able to cover it more or less and Cecilia made a few steps away from her.

"What happened?" she asked, cautious. Somehow it got on Katherine's nerves that Cecilia was caring for her even when her own parents just passed away. Shouldn't she mind her own business?

"Don't waste my time. I have more important things to do than small talk." Like taking a bath and changing clothes, or doing the accounting for the Confession. It was about time and Katherine didn't know if she could stand Venus' laughter and payback for the scolding about her sloppy accounting methods.

"You've changed." And with a sad face, Cecilia looked down at the floor.

"What are you? Some kind of hobby psychologist for vampires?" Her sentence was oozing sarcasm and had a snide tone. Katherine didn't bother to hide her contempt for Cecilia again, since her last idea of fake friendliness was just dumb.

"I see it in your eyes." Wow. What esoteric, human shit and Katherine raised an eyebrow, giving her a broad and snide smile.

"Then you should consult your own cup of tea, using tasseography." Turning on her heels, Katherine walked to the door and left Cecilia standing there without giving her the chance to say anything further.

Nights passed and every time Katherine moved out with the Sheriff, she told Caleb of which direction they were heading. At the beginning, there was nothing unusual about the way the Sabbat Cainites were acting. Easy work but later on, not all of those cleaning assignments were easy. In fact some of them were total failures and Katherine barely got out of those alive even with the aid of the Sheriff. She wasn't angry at him because of what he had done. He was also just someone who executed orders and Katherine couldn't imagine that it was something personal. It was LaCroix's order to torture her and what choice did the Sheriff have? But she wouldn't be particularly sad if he 'accidentally' met his Final Death at one of the Sabbat raids they tried to shatter. Later on their efforts were made in vain and suffered more failures than accomplishments. LaCroix didn't suspect her for even a second, since he still had his mind on getting his hands on the mummy in his reckless way, that much Katherine was aware of. Things weren't going well for the Prince, and after two months she was summoned after another screwed up assignment to repel a Sabbat raid and she did not feel pretty good. In fact she was tired, thirsty and in a bad mood. Even after letter from Strauss was delivered to her via the Confession, Katherine didn't read it and tossed it away without answering or reacting.

"You called sir?" Saluting and then keeping silent, she stood in front of his desk. LaCroix looked exhausted, one hand buried in his hair and his head bent over a pile of documents.

"The city is in bedlam and the Primogen are only concerned about their own hides," he hissed and anger flickered across his face. A kind of anger Katherine would avoid at any cost. "The mummy is power and I need that power." She wanted to say something now but why bother? He'd made his decision and this time the ship would sink, and that LaCroix had not been disposed of already was probably because of Strauss. The Prince looked up and Katherine was able to see, nearly feel, the rage of his Beast inside him. He suppressed it well. "Do you now understand it? Power is everything to our kind!" He stood up and stepped to her and she could not help but look irritated.

"Yes...yes, I do." The words came a bit slow out of her mouth, since she wasn't prepared for his...closeness, and something told her that he was using it again to manipulate her. LaCroix smiled a fake warm smile. She could recognize it easily. He never smiled sincerely.

"The Anarchs are willing to hand us the mummy in exchange for a truce. They are busy at the moment dealing with the Sabbat menace," he chuckled snidely and Katherine slowly began to understand the plan. At least some fragments of it. Like Strauss had said: LaCroix's enemies will exploit his weakness once more. "So they came to their senses, accepting my gracious offer. Fools. Their days are numbered."

'_No, his days are numbered,'_ came immediately to Katherine's mind, but she jerked out of it as LaCroix laid a hand on her shoulder.

"My protégé...you and the Sheriff are the only ones who I trust and again I will entrust you with this matter. You are the only one who knows about it." Katherine couldn't help but feel a bit bad, only it was too late to turn back. The Prince handed her a letter which she grabbed. "Bring this to the Anarchs. It is of the utmost importance that no one other than Nines Rodriguez reads its contents. I'm sure that a lot of my enemies would like to encounter me without the Sheriff. It was a condition of those heathens to meet them without him," he sighed heavily and Katherine couldn't believe that he actually agreed to it! He must be blind! "You will accompany me. In your presence I'll be safe." Katherine smiled but it felt forced and wrong. This was the opportunity Hargreaves spoke of. With this letter, Katherine could seal the Prince's doom and something in her was struggling against it, against the act of purposefully harming him. She would lead him straight into a trap nonetheless. Such a feeling was human and she wasn't human anymore.

"Thank you, sir. I'll be on my way to deliver the letter." LaCroix gave her a smug but satisfied smile, waving with his hand to indicate that she could leave now and as she stepped to the elevator, she looked at the letter again for a long time before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a cell phone. Caleb would be excited to hear about what she had to tell him and Katherine opened the letter.

Indeed he was very excited and after some minutes even Hargreaves bothered to summon her to compliment her in person.

"Well done Katherine. We never expected to be at this point in a few months and after we take care of Prince LaCroix, I will fulfil my promise and tell you everything." Unlike LaCroix Hargreaves' smile was sincere, as far as Katherine could judge. "I want you to join the Black Hand and you will be my protégé, no my _childe,_ from this night on. I'm proud of you." Katherine had never heard about the Black Hand before but she was sure she'd get an explanation later on.

"I'm most grateful Sir Hargreaves. It's for the good of the Sabbat and your plan to make the Prince even more desperate was very clever." In her opinion it was an advantage to let him know what game was being played and Hargreaves chuckled.

"LaCroix is a fool to not keep someone bright like you loyal to him. He may have a good instinct in picking such people but when it comes to keeping them, he fails miserably." Katherine couldn't agree more. "Now go. It is nearly time for the meeting. This night it will be over and the Sabbat will take over the Camarilla in Los Angeles without their foolish elders even noticing it, thanks to their idiotic Prince and thanks to you." Smiling, he gave Katherine a kiss on the hand. The Ventrue of the Sabbat were more like knights and crusaders, living under a strict and cruel code of chivalry and that was the way Katherine had chosen.

"Where to?" The voice of the driver broke the brooding silence, and Katherine had never expected to meet this person in such a situation.

"Primogen? What are you doing here?" She was only able to stare baffled at the image in the driving mirror. Why was the Malkavian Primogen driving a cab?

"Questions, questions. Where to go, oh little Alice? I'm just the little bunny, ribbit." Ophelia chuckled, amused, and sped off heading toward the lights of Downtown. "The small fries are all deceived by the Dark Father, because he's just a shadow. Dark, but not dark. His shadow swallowed the limits and so do I." Again Katherine understood nothing and blinked, looking into the driving mirror where the hypnotic eyes of Ophelia glittered.

"I don't understand. Who's the Dark Father?" Who is deceived by whom?

"Psssssssht...don't say his name! Don't say his name aloud little Alice." Putting her index finger to her lips, Ophelia spoke with a low voice. "The dark but not Dark Father has spoken to you like I do but his words are malice, poison! He's not a piece on the board; he cheated!"

"What game and what ---" With a loud 'sssshhh' Ophelia interrupted her.

"Trust the blood! Trust what you saw! Chose what you have chosen in the past, for he's yours and you are his. One piece can't exist without another like chocolate cookies can't exist without chocolate chips!" She giggled amused as they reached Downtown and merged into the nightly traffic.

"Wait, wait, wait! Are you talking about LaCroix?" And why the hell did Ophelia know where she was! Oh crap. Katherine feared that she had been discovered.

"No fear, no fear little Alice. I don't tell, my lips are sealed. The choice is yours and as the dark but not Dark Father I just send you words but words without poison. A cure to even the scales, to preserve the balance!" Well, Katherine didn't trust her words. She was a Malkavian after all and a Malkavian who dementated her! She prayed that Ophelia stayed out of her brain this time.

"I made my choice. That's all I have to say." They reached the Venture Tower and Ophelia turned around to her.

"The choice is not engraved in stone. The choice will this time not be made in a driving plastic duck which swims through this black ocean." Katherine's eyebrows knitted together in anger and she avoided looking directly into Ophelia's eyes as she stepped out of the taxi, but it was clearly audible that Ophelia's tone of voice had changed. "Remember, wherever we go it is the blood of Caine which makes our fate. Farewell vampire." It was a deeper tone, the masculine tone she'd used during their 'tea party' and Katherine knew where she had heard the last sentence before. The taxi driver who always drove her around during that sarcophagus thing, but she wasn't able to ask Ophelia more questions after that realization because she took off again into the night with an insane speed. How suiting.

"No! Wait! Miss Ophelia!" she yelled after the taxi but it was gone, leaving her alone in front of the imposing Venture Tower where the man she was about to betray waited and still a small voice inside her sung a lament about her treachery against the Prince.


	22. Royal straight Flush

**Thanks to everyone for this INSANE amount of reviews! They really, really are a great motivator to write!**

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Riddles. Those were something Katherine did not need in this situation and she felt like a flag in a storm, changing directions every time because of stupid vampire riddles and phrases! Why couldn't they accept her decisions, instead of always trying to push her into the directions they wanted? She just back-stabbed LaCroix and there was simply no turning back, and she did not want to turn back. At least the Sabbat gave her the guidance that the Camarilla never offered because she was nothing more than a political annoyance; and the Sabbat promised her answers where the Camarilla only hit her in the face with riddles and enigmas. Katherine went into her apartment to wait for the Prince to call her. Gladly the time had been stated in the letter, else she would have had a little problem if Nines was required to make an answer, but then again she could simply lie. That's what it was all about since the beginning of her unlife: Lies and intrigues, nothing more and she didn't want to think about it anymore. At last the time arrived for the Prince to call her again and she followed LaCroix through the building to a car, not his limousine. Wow, if he would even order her to drive, she would be pretty much surprised and she was. Like in Germany that time ago he stood there with crossed arms and waited for Katherine to open the door for him. Hesitant, she opened it and looked confused at him.

"This time you will drive more carefully, is that clear?" And Katherine nodded. It wasn't the same situation as back then and of course not her first time driving in the urban jungle of Los Angeles. "To the Griffith Observatory," LaCroix ordered and Katherine gazed at him with a concerned face. Of course she already knew the location but it sounded like a pretty bad idea to step into werewolf territory again. Did he actually have some sort of plan? "Why are you hesitating? My future awaits me!" Impatient he tapped his fingertips against the armrest of his seat, and swallowing a lump in her throat Katherine put her rifle on the back seat and started the engine.

The observatory was of course deserted at night and even with her rifle ready, Katherine felt bad. The last time she was here, she was nearly torn apart by a two meters big monstrous wolf on two legs. Such things left a bad impression and thankfully they weren't riding the tram up to the observatory, only waiting in the parking area. Katherine stood behind the Prince and unwillingly her eyes were glued to his frame rather than the surroundings as the faint lights of the city created a fascinating play of shadows on his pale face. A fascination she could not withdraw her eyes from.

"Why are you nervous, Miss Falkner?" LaCroix turned his face to her and immediately Katherine stared into another direction, pretending to scrutinize the surroundings instead of him.

"I'm not nervous," she said in a low tone and her eyes shortly rushed to the Prince and then back to the surroundings, seeing in the faint light only how he frowned shortly.

"You are nervous. I smell it and I already told you not to lie to my face." Gravel crunched beneath his expensive Italian shoes as he stepped toward her which made Katherine look at him once more.

"Actually she's fairly good at lying, _my_ _Prince_." The voice indicated loathing and Katherine didn't need to ponder to whom this voice belonged. LaCroix turned around with a raised eyebrow, his expression darkening as he faced Hargreaves.

"Primogen Hargreaves and Mr. Walker. What an unexpected surprise and coincidence," LaCroix responded coldly and with a modulated voice. It almost seemed like it didn't surprise him to see the supposedly dead Primogen and Caleb. Not until Caleb threw the letter which was supposed to be for Nines on the ground. LaCroix turned around and Katherine was able to see how furious he really was, clenching his fists and jerking with his shoulders.

"You..." His voice quivered in anger, on the edge of losing all self-control. "Judas! _Collaborationniste_!" Losing his temper, LaCroix yelled at her and it was due more to impulse than anything else that Katherine raised the rifle.

"It's over Sebastian. _C_'_est la fin mon ami_," Hargreaves chuckled, amused, and the Prince's shoulders trembled with rage though he still suppressed it bravely. But in a split second his shoulders were hanging as he finally realized his defeat. "The Camarilla in Los Angeles is finished thanks to your obsession with a dusty corpse, openly showing the wrong track of my brethren in this depraved sect. If you would have given me the position of seneschal it would not have been so harsh for you." He circled around the beaten Prince with a raised nose and a very satisfied expression and one last time LaCroix's shoulders trembled as he fell to his knees. The image of the proud Prince, kneeling in front of her somehow created an ache in Katherine's stomach. "I have to give you account for not pleading and whimpering to spare your life. At least you have some dignity left." Hargreaves turned around on his heel and stood now next to Katherine. "My childe, I think it is well deserved that you finish him off and it is your last test, your Vinculum. After that you are officially a member of the Sabbat and I will tell you the reason, why you were Embraced." LaCroix's head jerked up and he stared at Katherine directly, eyes full of anger and hate.

"That is the reason why you betray me?" he hissed through his teeth. "You know the answer and it is nothing spectacular. You were just a random victim of a misguided Kindred, nothing more! Do you think someone low as you could injure me? You're nothing without me! Nothing!"

"Still lying in such a situation, Sebastian?" Hargreaves chuckled and placed his hand on Katherine's shoulder. "Kill him." The bushes around the parking area rustled and more Sabbat Cainites showed up, coming closer to witness the rather unspectacular end of the Prince of Los Angeles. It felt like a medieval execution with the cheering crowd which demanded blood.

"Why shooting?"

"Drain him!"

"Rip off his teeth!"

"Stake him! Make it slow and painful!"

Katherine's grip on the rifle tightened. Unwavering LaCroix stared at her, his expression cold and full of anger. She aimed at his head but her finger didn't pull the trigger. It was harder than she expected.

"Why do you falter Katherine?" Hargreaves asked and for a second she needed to close her eyes, then opened them again to stare back into LaCroix's. Since she was Embraced nothing felt as sure as what she was doing now and at the same time it felt horrible. She was always a toy for him, nothing more than a tool. The Prince would not falter to sacrifice her for his goals. He didn't deserve clemency or anything else!

"I..." She swallowed the words and pulled the trigger until she only needed to flinch and the Prince's head would be full of bullets.

_It is not engraved in stone yet._

If her betrayal wasn't engraved in stone what was it then? In her short unlife it was one of the first lessons she'd learned that you needed to walk past corpses to get what you want. Katherine killed for the Prince, Kindred and kine alike died by her hands but why did she still feel remorse for the drained cop? Why was it so hard to pull the trigger now to accomplish something for her sake?

_You know the answer._

No, she didn't, or did she? The words Ophelia told her lingered as a heavy cloud in her brain, like a cloud from whom she ran away but slowly she began to understand.

_Trust the blood._

"I made my choice." With a fast turn, she let loose the trigger and shoved the butt of her rifle straight into Hargreaves' face. He was a Ventrue and Katherine didn't expect any wounds but at least the moment of surprise was on her side. Still, close combat with a rifle was a very bad idea, and she also knew how good Hargreaves was with a sword. Bringing the rifle back into position, she fired at him and after the first salve she was hit by bullets herself. That was a stupid decision. Not naive, not honourable, just plain stupid. The part of Katherine's brain which was labelled as survival instinct was in panic like the Beast, but that part labelled under sentiment and humanity was at last in a satisfied state.

A hard hit in her stomach stopped the firing of her rifle and swiped her off her feet. She lost her grip on the weapon but luckily the strip was still slung around her shoulder. Nonetheless it was obvious to her that she had no chance to bring it back into position fast enough. Why did she even care? They outnumbered her. She messed it up because of a feeling, because she wasn't able to kill a vampire who deserved it. She was insane. Katherine hit the ground with her back first, sliding on it before realizing that she had stopped near the Prince.

"_Rien ne va plus._" A pair of shoes stepped into her line of sight and Caleb bent over her. "I don't understand you Kat. Your reactions are so illogical, nearly human even after our education." He shrugged and shook his head. What could she say? Katherine had no explanation herself, well she did but it was not of significance anymore. Caleb took her rifle and pointed it at LaCroix, shooting a straight salve into his stomach. He didn't flinch besides staring stubbornly straight at Caleb but the crowd was cheering. Ventrue sure could take a lot of beating and in that respect LaCroix was a bit like a cockroach. You can step on it but it would crawl onward once you lifted the heel of your boot.

"He survived an explosion. Do you think that would ---" With an insanely hard kick to her face, Caleb silenced Katherine. She felt an explosion in her jaw that caused her to see only a flash of white light, then the waves of searing pain and some knocked out teeth on her tongue she only barely noticed.

"Not too fast!"

"Kill her first!"

"Fuck no! Finish the French pussy first!"

A scream echoed through the night and at first Katherine thought it was nothing special, only some pack members brawling about who should be killed first, until someone roared the word 'lick' as the smell of burned flesh filled the air and the pack was in an uproar. She had no idea why Caleb was distracted and frankly it didn't bother her because it was at last a small glimpse of hope. Pulling out the gun from its shoulder holster, Katherine shot the whole clip at Caleb. Lasombra didn't seem to be able to swallow as much as a Ventrue but still he was not nearly as dead as she hoped him to be. At least he was injured. Katherine burned some vitae to enhance her strength and get back on her feet fast enough to prevent Caleb from using the rifle. She tried to wrestle him down to the ground but he stood sturdy as a fucking tree, giving her in return a hard blow with his knee into the stomach. He compensated for his lack of stamina by dealing out like a Brujah. Katherine stumbled back, mourning about the pain and spitting out her broken teeth. Her jaw still hurt but she didn't want to waste blood to heal it and continued to attack Caleb with a straight blow from the butt of the gun aimed at his face, after feinting a hit into his kidney. He needed to let the rifle fall, blocking the blow to his face and returning one to Katherine who dodged it, rather blocking it. During the brawl with Damsel she'd learned that it was better to dodge such attacks and save the fortitude for hits she wasn't able to avoid. Caleb used this gap to extend their distance, doing that shadow thing again, but he made a mistake the second time, not paying attention to the Prince who picked up Katherine's G36 rifle off the ground and fired the remaining bullets at the surprised Lasombra. Caleb fell to the ground while letting out a frustrated grunt and Katherine used the opportunity to reload her gun quickly. Perhaps she later would have some time to spare to ponder about a rifle-using LaCroix and how he was able to handle such a weapon. Perhaps pure luck. Every stupid idiot was able to pull a trigger and he really had a knack for backstabbing attacks.

"The pack will get you. You'll be dead as I!" Caleb hissed, giving LaCroix a snide smile.

"I don't think so," the Prince responded nearly bored. "_A bientôt_, Kindred." A flick from LaCroix was enough to let Katherine understand what he wanted and if her jaw hadn't hurt so much, she would have smiled or at least said something but instead she only pressed the barrel of the gun against Caleb's forehead.

"You'll be dead! Both of you! No one messes with the Sabbat and lives!" he spat at Katherine.

"I heard that once before." It ached but it was worth it to watch Caleb's obvious rage on his face for a split second; then pulling the trigger she caused his Final Death as the turmoil around was calming down, and the wind blew nearly gentle the ashes away. Caleb's death felt satisfying. She didn't get her hands on her mother's murderer but at least she killed the person who had a crucial role in all of this.

"Are you all right, Prince LaCroix?" Strauss approached them and raised his eyebrow in surprise as he spotted the Prince with a rifle in his hands and gave Katherine a what-the-hell-is-that stare she'd never imagined she would witness on the Regent's face.

"Stake her," LaCroix ordered coldly. "The Sheriff will pick her up later."

"Prince LaCroix, is this really nec ---" The expression on Strauss' face did not vanish as he was interrupted.

"What is not comprehensible Regent?" His brows knitted together, addressing Strauss in a sharp tone and Katherine didn't even bother to object to LaCroix's order. She had already befriended the fact that it was only a matter of time before her own Final Death. No need to embellish an ugly fact.

"As you wish." Finally approving the order, Strauss pulled out a stake from beneath his mantle and drove it through Katherine's heart. Immediately the paralysation came into effect and she fell on the ground, but she could still hear and see in a limited way what was going on. LaCroix walked away, while Strauss bent over her.

"Like sire, like childe. You are both reckless," he sighed. "Gladly you sent Miss Ophelia but it was close, neonate. I will explain to Prince LaCroix what your role in this tragedy was and I won't forget your discreet actions, but most certainly I will again need your services." That was code for: I dragged your ass out of the fire but you owe me something. Hey! Didn't she drag his ass out of the fire, helping Clan Tremere by helping LaCroix? Okay, okay, she messed it up and didn't care about the rules no one bothered to tell her. Crap. And Katherine questioned that Strauss would be able to convince LaCroix not to dispose of her; however, all she could do now was wait until the Sheriff would pick her up. What could Strauss have meant with his sentence, _'_like sire like childe'? Did he know Alexander? Even now more and more questions arose but Katherine was too tired to think clearly, so she listened to the flustered voices, not able to separate or allocate them to a specific person with the exception of Hargreaves, who was able to escape. That much she caught. Kill one enemy and he's replaced with another one. The cab driver was right about being on LaCroix's side. It was far from safe but then again: What could be a safe place for her if not at the side of the Prince? Katherine had no idea and her aching jaw made it hard to concentrate. She had no idea how much time passed until big paws grabbed her and carried her paralyzed body away from the observatory's parking area back into the Venture Tower.

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AN: So, that's how it turns out. I know it was a bit cheap because there were a similar situation some chapters ago; however, I wanted to show how insecure Katherine really is and giving her the opportunity to realize something about herself. But that's for the epilogue.

Random rant about football: NOOOOO!!! Hemos perdido vs Godoy!!


	23. Be all my sins remember'd

**Celeste:** He learned his lession finally. It really took enough time but it doesn't make him less power hungry. Else it wouldn't be LaCroix. Coackraoch Dictator! Oh what have I done? And Gehirnstuerm should know how it ends if you lower LaCroix to the level of a fairy, hehehehe.

**Brittany:** Yes I'm going to write a continuation of the story and already finished the Prologue.

**Thanks to rednightmare, Gehirnstuerm and Vivienne for the review!**

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Maximillian Strauss was a bit distressed about how the events turned out. He'd never taken into account that the neonate would act in such a reckless way, even endangering the Prince. Again. She was more strong-minded than he'd expected, being able to suppress the effects of the lesser blood bond. Thankfully she wasn't able to at the most crucial moment and it nearly seemed like the neonate had planned it all along. Everything fit too well to be mere coincidence, with Ophelia informing him about the meeting point and how the Sabbat would be there instead of the Anarchs. She was only a young vampire. It was impossible that she planned all this and he was certain that a puzzle piece was missing. Strauss sighed heavily and walked across the parking area to catch up with the Prince, who had a rifle strapped over his shoulder, his expensive clothing stained with ash. Nonetheless he radiated some sort of authority even the old Tremere couldn't ignore. LaCroix looked like a battle worn but victorious field commander and those who were able to get a glimpse of the Prince were left with a stunned expression on their faces. Without a doubt no Kindred in Los Angeles had ever expected to see such a sight of the Prince, and most certainly no one ever considered LaCroix lowering himself to do so. He had the Sheriff for such tasks, and the impression that the Prince was showing himself off in that way on purpose crawled into Maximillian's mind. The Ventrue had changed and as he reached him, he was currently giving an order to the Sheriff and shooing some more poor neonates away to pursue the fleeing Sabbat.

"Prince LaCroix, we need to talk in more discreet surroundings. There is an issue we need to discuss urgently." He waited patiently until LaCroix was done giving orders.

"As long as it won't be about Miss Falkner, I will listen." Maximillian raised an eyebrow and didn't answer for some seconds. It did address in some way the neonate. Of course it did but the Regent was again surprised about the Prince's reaction.

"It will to a certain point, but please Prince LaCroix. Here there are too many ears." Without a doubt there were and these words were not for everyone to hear. Regardless, the Prince did not look very excited about the answer of the Regent's. Of course different points of view and subtle arguing about them in the past wouldn't be eliminated in just one night. Still Maximillian held the same opinion about LaCroix: Eager to the extent of blind recklessness and with a lust for power that exceeded his loyalty to the Camarilla, but still better than a Sabbat puppet as Prince. "It is most important, Prince LaCroix. We should go to the tower, if I may suggest." The Prince nodded, giving his last order to another Kindred to drive them both to the Venture Tower, where they entered it through a back door to avoid the fat kine – whose name he was never able to memorize – in the main hall. Ever since that day where LaCroix had hissed furiously into the speaker, that fat kine was pretty much scared whenever Maximillian appeared and he had to call LaCroix. The Tremere had no idea what had happened that night and he was sure to never gain knowledge of it. In the end it didn't matter to him and upon reaching the penthouse office, Maximillian followed LaCroix to his 'throne' and waited until the said Prince put the rifle on his desk and sat down. He looked a bit exhausted but maintained his aristocratic and cold expression as he always did when they talked.

"What is this urgent matter you need to discuss, Regent?" Sounding cold but polite, the Prince joined his fingertips together and leaned back.

"It is due to my word that the neonate acted in this manner. The assignment concerning the plague in Los Angeles was given to her by me." The only motion LaCroix made was to raise an eyebrow, and Maximillian knew that he needed to pick out his words very carefully. He knew enough about Ventrues to spot these situations. "But I didn't know that the Anarchs were also sending off Mr. Foley. It was a chaining of unfortunate events."

"Regent, I'm neither blind nor foolish. There isn't any 'chaining of unfortunate events'. Not that I want to assume you were involved in the recent assassination attempt on me." The Prince leaned forward again, placing his elbows on the blank polished desk.

"Well, I agree to a certain point." It would be foolish to admit that he was right and of course the Tremere was lying. He had sent off the neonate with full knowledge of the possible consequences and to prove a theory. "Just after this incident the Sabbat must have gotten into contact with the neonate, and they had knowledge of information which is most crucial." Maximillian crossed his arms behind his back, observing the reaction of the Prince as he gazed over the frames of his small spectacles.

"What are you trying to imply with this?" Finally he got the Ventrue's interest in this.

"There is someone in the tower with access to information specifically about you. Someone who knows about events which occur near you, my Prince. Perhaps even about some which are not important at first glance?" Watching the reaction of the Prince carefully Maximillian stepped towards the desk, pulling off the gloves from his hands. "Is there anyone who could come into question? Prince LaCroix, I do not seek to harm your position. Clan Tremere and Clan Ventrue are the backbone of the Camarilla and as for the neonate: She's your -"

"You don't need to tell me the obvious, Regent," he snapped but immediately calmed down again. Maximillian was actually surprised that the Prince reacted so...sensitively, about this specific topic. "Excuse me; it has been a long night." Now the Regent was even more surprised and the Prince leaned back into his chair, placing his arms on the armrests. "So what is your suggestion?" His voice was low and heavy and his gaze was not on Maximillian. LaCroix was asking him for a suggestion? Well, perhaps there was some hope.

"As much as it pains even me, we cannot trust the Primogen of clans Nosferatu, Brujah and Toreador. The Sabbat's reach in Los Angeles is far wider than we expected." The Prince sighed and seemed to think about the words he'd just heard, and Maximillian used this opportunity to touch the rifle on the desk and close his eyes.

"And whom should I trust?" Nearly missing this question, the rifle was shoved out of his reach and as he opened his eyes again, the Prince frowned at him.

"Miss Ophelia and," he hesitated a second, "...the neonate. Her opinion of you is faltering but still she did not kill you. In fact, she sent Miss Ophelia to me so that I was able to approach the situation." There was no answer from LaCroix, like he expected a more detailed explanation. "Her feelings engraved in one of her objects clearly states that she is in search of guidance and is denying the low blood bond but succumbs to it, like you -" Now the Prince only raised his hand and Maximillian knew that he had better not end this sentence. Both of them were quite stubborn to the point where the Regent considered asking the Prince what the real purpose of the neonate was. However, this was most certainly an internal affair of Clan Ventrue and Maximillian did not poke into such matters. The Tremere also didn't like that in regards to their affairs, so do as you would be done by. The intercom buzzed and the Prince sighed heavily again as he already knew who wanted an audience, and indeed the fat kine announced the Primogen.

"The neonate most certainly has information which could be crucial. We should draw back on her." But LaCroix didn't react; he only stood up, taking off the mantle and slinging it onto the back of the chair as he regained his distanced expression once again and waited for the Primogen to arrive. This was again a crucial moment and Maximillian did not enjoy the momentary overuse of the word 'crucial'. However, this was a sobering fact and now it was all up to the Prince how he would deal with the chaos his lust for power created, and the Tremere could only wait and watch as the rest of the Primogen made their way into the office. Well, not all. Ophelia was missing but then again that was nothing unusual for a Malkavian. He let his gaze wander over each newly arrived Kindred. The Brujah and Toreador Primogen seemed to be kind of upset, while Gary had a smirk on his face like he just couldn't wait for the circus to start as he appeared out of nowhere.

"Prince LaCroix, this time you have gone too far!" It was not the Brujah Primogen who heralded the start of the circus, but the Toreador. "We all know about the true intentions of your pursuit and we will no longer tolerate it! You're endangering everything we've established here in this city!" There was nothing shown on the face of the Prince and also silence for some uncomfortable seconds where Maximillian pondered if it was the right time to say something or keep waiting.

"This is what everyone was supposed to believe, and I am most pleased that it is the case," LaCroix finally answered and this caused a frown to form on everyone's faces, even that of the Regent. "It was obvious to me that the Sabbat would use a different strategy to harm the Camarilla, and now their attempts are crushed." The Prince raised a finger, but the Brujah Primogen interrupted.

"Excuses! Your so-called protégé is a traitor! How could you let this happen? All Kindred of the Camarilla are in an uproar over how those shovelheads could have infiltrated us this far." Something worried Maximillian. The Brujah Primogen was too calm for his taste; usually he spoke with a loud and heavy voice and was more energetic. "We demand consequences for both of you." That meant death for the neonate and for LaCroix to lose his position as Prince before he shared the same fate. Those facts didn't need to be spoken out loud as they lingered heavy in the air around them, and Maximillian would be next after the Prince to be disposed of.

"I have to agree." For the first time Gary made himself noticeable. Not siding with the Prince was obvious. Ever since the incident with the sarcophagus, LaCroix and Gary had been on even worse terms than before and for the Primogen, the Prince was aids while the Sabbat would be the cholera. The Nosferatu would survive even if the Sabbat were to be in charge, because their information network was just too useful.

"I didn't expect anything else." The Prince was calm and Maximillian didn't miss how the cogs behind LaCroix's forehead were turning as the Sheriff walked in, his bulky frame filling out the door. He carried the neonate over his shoulder who was still staked. "Excellent timing." A slim smile appeared on the Prince's face. "Pull out the stake. Miss Falkner has without a doubt some interesting information to share."

"What?" This little turn of events brought back the usual voice of the Brujah Primogen. _'This night is full of surprises, mostly of the pleasant kind.'_ Never had Maximillian imagined that Prince LaCroix would come to his senses, and he mused if the neonate had actually played a role in this like Ophelia said. Not showing his satisfaction, he put his gloves back on his hands and stepped to where the Sheriff had put the paralyzed neonate on her feet, pulling out the stake. She fell on her knees, her jaw in a strange way out of place which was slowly fixed during the loud protesting of the Brujah. Apparently she was way more injured than the Prince but it wouldn't affect the interrogation.

"Well, neonate. Again we have questions you need to answer." It was fairly easy for Maximillian to hide that everything was heading in an ideal way.

"Miss Falkner." A slight British accent in a loud and aristocratic voice echoed through the room, accompanied by the Brujah's sneering that he wasn't finished with his objection. It was arrogantly ignored and the Prince continued mildly annoyed. "Miss Falkner was not, and never has been, a part of the Sabbat. It was our intention to let all of you believe this. The Regent and I were aware of the Sabbat's vile scheme. You all perhaps remember that I proclaimed the Regent as seneschal because he was the only one to be trusted."

"Accusing us of treachery is a heavy accusation, Prince LaCroix." Without a doubt Maximillian agreed with the remark the Toreador Primogen made. "Without evidence, you shouldn't make those."

"I am not finished." Never was the Prince pleased when he was interrupted. "The former Primogen Hargreaves is alive and a traitor to Clan Ventrue and the Camarilla alike. He feigned his death in an attempt to frame me for this." They had no evidence of who was responsible for burning the villa of Hargreaves, but it was most similar to how Alistair Grout met his Final Death and ever since then there was a tenacious rumour that the Prince was to blame. Quite a daring tale LaCroix was weaving. "No doubt they also infiltrated my organization. The key to unveiling the spies was to send in our own spy." All of them were looking at the neonate who had a confused expression on her beaten face. "Exactly." Smiling triumphantly, Prince LaCroix prowled up and down, which was his usual dramatic behaviour. "Here and now, Miss Falkner will share her insights." Inviting but cold he stared at her, and Maximillian realized that the neonate was too puzzled to be delivering answers.

"Tell us from the beginning how you pretended to join the ranks of the Sabbat." The face of the female Ventrue lit up upon realization, and she began to tell the tale but most important was a single piece of information: Where exactly the house in Beverly Hills was located.

"Impossible!" Everyone, with exception of the neonate, knew that this was a building in possession of the Brujah Primogen.

"Not at all." Smiling venomously, the Prince hit the button of the intercom on his desk. "Mr. Danes? Assign the Scourge to a specific house in the area of Beverly Hills. Be prepared for Sabbat resistance. The Sheriff will give further instructions at any minute." Releasing the button, he made a small pause and then continued. "And to add an additional spy..." The Toreador Primogen was now the focus of the Prince's stare. "Miss Cecilia has had close contact with your childe, Primogen. Without a doubt the past Sabbat raid on your mansion during the presence of my childe was not mere coincidence, likewise the perfect moment when Miss Falkner was contacted by Mr. Hunter in his attempt at winning her over." The neonate was secretive about the cause of this 'perfect' moment, and Maxmillian knew that the assumption of the Prince was risky but logical.

"Do you think I would endanger my precious Paulina?" The Primogen was a soft-spoken middle-aged man, however he sounded angry and offended.

"Either you, or your own childe."

"Ridiculous!" Throwing up his arms to express his anger, he turned around on his heels to leave the office. "I will no longer listen to such nonsense!"

"Sadly, I have to support Prince LaCroix's accusations." For Maximillian it was no surprise that Gary was now shifting sides and of course the Nosferatu had some kind of insight into these events. Not quite as deeply as he had but nonetheless enough to know when one side was gaining the upper hand. The Toreador Primogen stood still and glared into the yellow eyes of the Nosferatu. "So young fledglings should know that mobile phones are not very secure," he chuckled amused, watching the Primogen tremble and a long silence filled the room.

"What are your orders, Prince LaCroix?" Finally finding the courage to break it, Maxmillian glanced to the Ventrue who now sat on his chair like the grand dictator himself, looking fully satisfied.

"Stake the traitor and as for now, make sure he can't escape until I pronounce his sentence." He did not even flinch. "Usually a transgression of one's own childe is also the transgression of its sire, and for the crime of allying with the Sabbat, there will be no clemency for either of them." For the first time, Maximillian had to agree with the lax punishments of death LaCroix so easily imposed that must without doubt be an inheritance from his age.

"Do you think I will let you stake me this easily, just because you make assumptions?" Roaring like an injured lion, the Brujah Primogen wanted most certainly to charge at the Prince but Maximillian was faster, using thaumaturgy to conjure a flame on his palm and hurl it at the raging vampire, but he was only able to ignite the jacket of the Brujah. The flames slowly devoured more and more of the fabric of his clothes, filling the room with the biting stench of burned cloth, but this didn't stop him from rushing in a small glimpse toward the Prince who stubbornly did not move. Well it wasn't necessary because immediately the Sheriff stood in his way, wasting no time as he pierced his ridiculously large sword through the abdomen of the Brujah. He was still not defeated however, but in a frenzy. Hissing and snarling like a furious animal until the Sheriff dragged out a stake from the inside of his mantel and sunk it into the heart of the traitor. The paralyzed body on the sword looked like a burning ox on a spit, an expression of pure rage sculptured on his face and his fingers bent like claws.

"I won't resist." Letting his shoulders hang, the Toreador Primogen faced the unavoidable consequences as Maximillian also staked him.

"Sheriff, make sure they will be detained and unable to escape. Then you'll bring the Scourge to the location in Beverly Hills. Furthermore give this to Mr. Foley." Fast strokes from a pen flew over paper, being a prime example of the cold and calculating Ventrue virtue. Finally the Prince had found his way back to what Maximillian would call the beginning of true power, but he shouldn't celebrate too fast. "Mr. Gary, please transfer the evidence as fast as possible. I will set in motion a lavish payment in advance at the usual transgression point."

"All right, boss." Grinning widely with his crooked teeth, Gary vanished and the Prince put the signed paper into the claw of the Sheriff who also moved out, picking up the staked Toreador and leaving only Maximillian, the neonate and the Prince in the office. Obviously the neonate was taking the new events rather poorly, judging by her silence. It didn't surprise the Regent, the fact that she really had it in mind to kill the Prince. He'd done what was in his hands. More he wasn't able to do for her redemption in the eyes of LaCroix.

"Regent, you have my appreciation for the assistance tonight. I will inform you about the law enforcement for tomorrow night as early as possible. Good evening." Making a sign of courtesy to the Prince, Maximillian went out without spending more words. The task was fulfilled, so there were none to spare and upon stepping out into the late night of Los Angeles, the Regent could smell the dirt filled air and feel the always vibrating ground beneath his feet. He didn't like the hectic lifestyle of the states and sometimes he lingered on the thought of going back to Austria, but it could be bearable now with the end of the Prince's reckless pursuit of power. Upon reaching the chantry, he found that someone already awaited him in his room.

"Ohh, the wizard-king! Did the jester drop his cap?" Humming and brushing the hair of a porcelain doll the guest spoke.

"The events occurred like you said they would occur." This was by no means normal, even for a Malkavian, unless... "You are the missing puzzle piece," he noted and gazed over the frame of his glasses.

"I'm not a puzzle piece I'm Gretchen in this tragedy, wizard-king. Your iron crown will become rusty and wither away. The jester will be the king and you a wise advisor but every royal household needs a jester. Who will it be, oh who will it be? Do you believe in God, Heinrich?" Giggling, the Malkavian stood up and made a pirouette, like a small child playing with her doll. "If there's darkness, there are shadows and the shadow broke my heart. Using smiling pirates he broke the rules of our agreement." Even Maximillian needed some time to find the logic behind these words and as he found it, he smiled. The Anarchs are struggling so hard not to be used by the elders and yet Smiling Jack was used as a mere pawn. The irony was something in his taste, but he has been a pawn in all of this also. A bitter aftertaste. "Remember, wherever we go it is the blood of Caine which makes our fate. Farewell vampire." Ophelia vanished out of his sight and she must be an old vampire, to be able to use obfuscate in such a fashion. Now everything made sense, as far as everything could. Methuselah.

"Da steh ich nun, ich armer Tor und bin so klug als wie zuvor." A last insane laughter echoed through the room of the Regent and then only the crackling of the fire in the chimney was his lone company.

* * *

AN: Da steh ich nun, ich armer Tor und bin so klug als wie zuvor - And here, poor fool, I stand once more, / No wiser than I was before

Ophelia makes a reference to Faust. Gretchen, the woman Faust is in love with, asks him if he believes in God. He didn't answer and such questions where you only can answer either with a 'yes' or 'no' are called Gretchen Frage or Gretchen question. Furthermore Gretchen was the only person who could help (Heinrich) Faust out of his bargain with Mephisto.


	24. Epilogue

It is incredible how many things pass your mind when you've accepted that you're as good as dead. I don't think that even Strauss is able to change my certain doom. What have I done those past months? Am I happy with this? I was able to get a part of my revenge only to pay for it with my own life, and after all this time I ask myself: would my deceased mother been happy with this? For my own goals I killed humans and after the first one – the officer – I don't even remember their faces. I ignored them; I only fed upon them like cattle, like the philosophy of the Sabbat told me to. Did they have family? Parents, spouses and children? I murdered them, feeling no guilt, no shame, no remorse, no pity. Is there now a human out there, feeling and wanting the same as I did upon discovering the murder of my mother? Perhaps. I don't care anymore. What humanity is left inside me? Do I still cling after it?

Huge paws which lifted me off the ground interrupted my thoughts. And I knew it was the Sheriff. His grip was familiar to me, mostly around my neck._ 'Snobby Prince.' _He would kill me. Most likely he had his guillotine already polished, but strangely I didn't regret not killing him, and in my last few hours I was ready to confront the one last topic I always didn't want to see, nor face. Cecilia was wrong. I was wrong. I'm neither strong nor do I not run away from problems. I run away from them, searching for justification in excuses. I run away from them and that's why I'm here now. I ran away from the duty and pressure in the army. Going into a foreign country where every minor detail you overlooked could mean an explosive death made me a wreck. The Kunduz, they said, would be an area in Afghanistan which was not very dangerous. They were mistaken and I resigned. I ran away with the excuse that the army wasn't my thing at all. I should have stayed there. At least it would have been humans I'd be dealing with.

I ran away from the Camarilla, from LaCroix, because I was too weak to admit one simple thing: the Prince possesses more than my loyalty, more than just my huge debt in money. He possesses everything and I want just the same. He's most certainly flawed, the most arrogant man I've ever met and without any doubt the most egocentric. The list could go on and on, because he's not a prince charming. More the prince of assholes, of jerks, manipulative bastards, insert more random insults here. Despite not being to my taste of men, I feel drawn to him and have those feelings I'd always felt when Tobias was there – and the feelings toward Tobias? They faded out of my grip and I don't grieve after them. May sound hackneyed but that's how it is. How could I have ignored that? _'Even grown-ups behave sometimes like inexperienced teens.'_ And I was jealous. Utterly jealous of Cecilia. She took him away from me, out of my grasp and that's why I hate her! Isn't that sad? Isn't that vile? What have I become? I only wanted to join the Sabbat because it would have harmed him, and the thing with getting my hands on the murderer of my mother was a shabby excuse. I wanted to harm LaCroix like he harmed me, because he rejected me but did I ever have the chance to be near him like I wanted? It was without a doubt a foolish illusion to believe in, which is clear to me now, but too late isn't it?

Hanging from one of the Sheriff's shoulders I recognise easily the familiar parquet floor of the Prince's office which was filled with more voices than usual. They were familiar but I couldn't remember to whom they belonged. As the stake was pulled out a sudden regaining of the functions of my limbs made me fall to my knees. Still my jaw ached and it needed some time to heal while a voice was shouting angrily. It wasn't LaCroix's but his interrupted now the angry protest, addressing me. I didn't know what he wanted or what was going on. It was all a mess in my head until Strauss with his calm and soothing voice explained what they wanted from me and I told my tale. The events after I finished were not blessed with my attention, as suddenly Ophelia knelt beside me, smiling with her doll Marilyn in her arms.

"Hello little Alice! You've done sooo well. I'm proud of you. Marilyn also but I think the ivory Prince is not." Sighing sadly she brushed through my hair and I wanted to speak but she put a finger against my lips. "Shhhhh little Alice. My words are only for you. I'm a shadow behind a shadow." I was even more confused. "He's sad. He doesn't trust you anymore but Marilyn wants it to be fixed with honey and ticking time. The dark but not dark father hates sweet honey between Blue Bloods." Giggling madly and giving the doll a kiss, she tilted her head. "Serves the heart breaker right!" she squealed in her high-pitched voice. "A last present from the fairy, yes, yes. I'm the rabbit which runs, not you little Alice. You know that now." In a blink Ophelia was gone and turning my attention with a shaking head back to what happened, I was alone with my prince, rising back onto my feet as his cold stare eyed me up and down. My head felt strange. First packed in cotton, a curtain of fog shrouded my thoughts and with a beat, everything was clear.

"What am I going to do with you?" Sound of a moving chair on parquet flooring and the heels of expensive shoes rattling through the seat of power. _Educating me like you always do, aren't you?_ "Why didn't you tell me anything?" Why so upset my dearest prince?

"I wanted to show you how it hurts to be betrayed by the ones you trust, my Prince." Not an answer he'd liked to hear.

"You dare to lecture me?" I'm at peace but I have no death wish, my prince.

"Would you have listened to my words?" There was silence and his murderous gaze pierced through me, his finely trimmed eyebrows knitted together. "They would have exploited it once more, and before they were able to execute their plan I exploited it. Isn't it better to be used by someone who trusts you, Prince LaCroix? There was no gain for me in not killing you." Insight should cut through your curtain of anger beloved step-sire. "Ventrue pick their confidants wisely and cautiously. That is why you have power, which is why you rule now once again." His curtain of anger released his eyes only a slight bit.

"And why didn't you kill me then?" Voice sharp as a knife but I smiled._ Don't you see the answer? Oh you see it._ Now it was the heels of my not-so-expensive shoes which clattered on the parquet floor and his grey eyes followed my motions like a deadly predator, letting me know that I had better be scared. I was but this emotion was driven over by an ion which travelled along the neuron highway in my brain.

"Because I trust the blood." A simple answer, yet set my dearest prince's eyebrows aloft as I faced him directly. "_Pas de Prusse, mais États confédérés du Rhin._" White, sharp fangs flashed through the slight grin on his pale lips, shooing the fury away and making room for soft, stray chuckles.

"Interesting. You've learned quite something at last, but it won't save you from punishment." Snide smile with white fangs collided with one another. _Yes, I learned a lot from you my step-sire._ My forefinger cautiously touched his aristocratic face, wandering slowly down to his lips.

"This will increase your already very high debt to me." His cold breath on my finger was enchanting.

"I have an eternity long to repay it." My other hand grabbed his neck, slowly pulling him down to me like a branch of the forbidden tree, his blood the forbidden fruit. "I'm thirsty, my Prince."

"Then drink." His cold lips had the taste of ash, remains of his fallen enemies, flavoured death and decay. _Your road is sowed with corpses, ivory prince._ But that seemed to be the fate of all children of Caine.

There was no reaction from him at first, till suddenly I felt his hands at my back, slowly exploring downwards as he kissed back, more intense and taking the lead. The distant taste of his blood replaced the taste of ash. I wanted it and opened cautiously the knot of his tie, feeling hard muscle beneath the smooth silk of his dark grey shirt with the flat of my hand, as it brushed over his chest to unbutton the collar. I broke the kiss, searching for a specific spot at his pale neck. My spot, while he curiously examined my face, his hand brushing away a streak of hair from it. I found it, wanting to sink my fangs into his flesh as he suddenly pushed me away, my feeding interrupted by a swung-open door through which Cecilia appeared with a hurried pace. Of course: no_ ménage à trios._ Neither for him, nor for me. My head started to hurt. What am I doing here?

"I'm so glad you're alright!" She hugged him tight and he grabbed her shoulders. "I heard from Paulina that you were dead!" I touched my forehead which ached. Shitty dementation! I totally embarrassed myself!

"You can escort yourself out, I suppose. I need to talk with Miss Cecilia."

"Yes, of course sir." The words out of my mouth sounded tormented and I turned around, trying not to stagger out of the office.

"Oh, and Miss Falkner?" Slowly I looked over my shoulder.

"You're fired. Take your belongings and leave the tower. I will send you further instructions later on how you should act in the future, in light of your last vigilante actions and my exposure to dangerous situations to ensure you do not make such mistakes again. I will also take Mr...Heckler into commission." Those words hit my already aching head like a baseball bat.

"Actually, this is Mr. Koch, sir," I said weakly but that was the only thing my brain could send to my mouth, then continuing to concentrate back on walking out, reaching the elevator and there sliding down against a wall to the ground, feeling like I just signed the Treaty of Versailles.

"Ich trete das Gebiet ab," I whispered to myself but at last the jester was dead and I was certain – I think because of the after-effects of the dementation – that the whispers of the Jester in the tower would be replaced by the name of the Emperor in the tower.

_Prince Sebastian LaCroix, le phénix rusé_.

What a joke.

* * *

AN:

Ich trete das Gebiet ab – I hand over the territory.

Little European history lesson:

États confédérés du Rhin – Der Rheinbund or Confederation of the Rhine. Established with the help of Napoleon and under his protection. They were France's allies while Prussia stayed out of it, being an enemy of the Empire and reinforcing the British forces at Waterloo. Kat was actually born in a region what had been a part of the Rheinbund.

The Treaty of Versailles ended the First World War between Germany and the Allied powers and was felt as a disgrace to the German people, receiving huge rejection and desire to "shake off the enthrall of Versailles." Some historians think that the Treaty of Versailles lead to the rise of Nazism in Germany.

The phoenix - the rising eagle out of fire, symbolism for rebirth of something which was thought lost, reappearing glorious. The eagle was the heraldic animal of the french Empire during Napoleon's rule, symbol for courage, immortality, strength and foresight. You see now why Kat thinks that's a joke?

That's it folks! This arc is over and done! I thank you all very much for sticking with the story and hope you were entertained.

Many, many thanks to Vivienne, my Betareader who helped me a lot correcting the grammar and finding inspiration. This story's quality is as much as her work as it's mine.

Thanks to Celeste who reviewed EVERY DAMN SINGLE chapter! This is awesome and makes me really, really happy and thanks to all of you, who of course took the time to write a review also! See you in the next part, when the hunt begins.

Seriously I'll hope to get the historical facts right. So if there's someone out there proficient in french history of the Napoleonic era and the military: _Aidez!_


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